News and Information

Centerpoint Winter 2009 (PDF)

Husband and Wife Face Cancer Diagnosis One Step at a Time

There were no symptoms that alerted Mark Peel to the fact that he might have prostate cancer. He was 60 years old and in good health when a routine blood test revealed his PSA had increased significantly in a matter of months.  This prompted a biopsy, which revealed Mark had stage II prostate cancer.  Mark and his wife, Sharon, were in disbelief when they received the news.  Mark was fairly young and had remained healthy up until his diagnosis.  Immediately it became clear to the couple that they had no other choice but to find the best care possible for Mark, and they committed to finding it together.

The couple sought out several opinions and was faced with many different treatment options.  Potential treatments included watchful waiting, surgery, hormonal therapy, cryosurgery, and two forms of radiation therapy.  All carried their own possible side effects and complications, including incontinence and impotence, two worrisome side effects of treatment for prostate cancer.  At one point during their medical consultations, Mark and Sharon were told that based on Mark’s condition, there was no possibility of nerve-sparing during his surgery, which meant it would be impossible for Mark to regain normal sexual function after treatment.  “I wasn’t ready to give up at that point.  I’m still young and have a lot of life left to live.  The most important thing, of course, was saving my life, but also having a life in the end worth living,” Mark said.

Mark and Sharon researched the various options for treatment with surgery and weighed the risks and benefits.  “There was so much conflicting data we weren’t sure what we were going to do.  Once we found Dr. Colberg, he laid it all out for us in an unbiased way and helped us look at our options from all angles.  He never made us any promises, but gave us hope, and that’s exactly what we needed at that time.  He was the physician we trusted most,” Sharon said.

Mark wanted to be treated by a physician he felt comfortable with and could trust.  After many consultations with several different physicians, Mark and Sharon decided Dr. John Colberg, Associate Professor of Surgery and Director of the Yale Urologic-Oncology Program, was the right match for them.  “He returned my call on a Saturday morning, and the more I talked with him the more my confidence in him grew.  I had called Dr. Colberg just to ask a few questions, but during the conversation I connected with him on a personal level and asked if he would perform my surgery,” Mark explained. “He said he’d be happy to.”

After talking it over with Dr. Colberg they decided the best overall results could be achieved with daVinci Robotic Prostatectomy Surgery. The daVinci Robotic System is used to assist the surgeon during the operation.  The surgeon remotely operates the three arms of the robot and the camera attached, which allows the surgery to be performed through five or six small incisions in the abdomen.  It is similar to an open prostatectomy, but it provides much more precision and has a shorter recovery time.  “The daVinci Robot is a wonderfully advanced technology that, for Mark’s situation, provided more options for a better recovery. Because of the exact precision provided, the theory is that we have fewer incidences of impotence, as well as improved continence rates,” Dr. Colberg explained.  Dr. Colberg also informed the couple that he saw no reason why the nerves couldn’t be spared, but he would have to wait until the surgery to be sure.

During Mark’s surgery all nerves were spared and today his PSA remains constant. “Cancer is a matter of life or death, and I can’t imagine coping with it emotionally unless you go through it with someone you love and who supports you; my wife Sharon was that person for me. I could not have done it without her,” Mark said. 

Together, Mark and Sharon were able to make it through his treatment decision process and subsequently, the treatment itself.  However, the couple also commented that they had some help from music.  Mark has been playing and writing music for over 40 years.  “Music has always served as a type of therapy for Mark; it’s something we both enjoy, particularly the folk and rock music of the 60’s,” Sharon said. “I was there when he first picked up a guitar and struggled to learn those chords. Music has played in the background through this whole challenging experience of his illness. It’s part of the bond between us.”
 
Mark and Sharon have shared their story in a diary they kept throughout the decision-making process and treatment. They hope that it will help other couples facing a similar difficult decision and help them to realize they have options.

“The best advice we can give is to do your research and don’t hesitate to take the time to find a physician you feel completely comfortable with.  Also, being treated at a major research center like Yale Cancer Center that has cutting-edge technology makes all the difference.  The resources at Yale are outstanding, and even if you have to travel it’s worth it; it’s your life.”