A pinpoint treatment | Corewell Health

Ben Weykamp and his spouse, Nancy, had simply met with three docs to debate choices to deal with his recurrence of prostate most cancers.

They have been ending up for the day when extra folks walked in.

One among them carried a cake for his or her sixtieth wedding ceremony anniversary.

“It was simply the sweetest factor ever,” Weykamp mentioned. “Right here we sat by two to a few hours of irritating stuff and so they are available in with a cake for us. It was completely marvelous.”

That’s only one cause Weykamp felt he was in good palms with the multispecialty cancer team at Corewell Well being’s Lemmen-Holton Cancer Pavilion.

“That’s the sort of factor that occurred each time I went there,” Weykamp mentioned. “That’s the sort of folks we have been coping with.”

Karen Moy, who gives administrative help for the multispecialty most cancers crew, mentioned that when she referred to as Weykamp to arrange his appointments that day, he talked about it was his anniversary.

So she ordered a cake and introduced it to work.

“I like doing these further issues for sufferers to make their go to particular,” Moy mentioned.

State-of-the-art options

Weykamp had already been on an extended journey with prostate most cancers earlier than he discovered himself at Lemmen-Holton Most cancers Pavilion that day.

When docs first recognized the 81-year-old in 2007, he opted to have his prostate eliminated with robotic surgical procedure.

Yearly after that, his physician would do bloodwork to verify his PSA, or prostate-specific antigen. And for 15 years, it was zero, indicating no indicators of most cancers.

“That was at all times the very first thing I checked out, to see if it was zero,” Weykamp mentioned.

However in January 2022, it jumped to 2.1 ng/ml.

“It was not that the quantity was so excessive, however that it was such an enormous change from earlier than,” he mentioned.

His major care doctor feared that would imply his most cancers had returned, so he referred Weykamp to a urologist, who then despatched him to the multispecialty crew.

Scans confirmed: the most cancers had returned. And now his PSA was as much as 5.1 ng/ml.

It was on Might 23 that Weykamp discovered himself assembly with three docs by the multispecialty most cancers crew—a surgical urologist, a radiation oncologist and a medical oncologist.

Emerson Lim, MD, Weykamp’s medical oncologist, mentioned the crew met previous to assembly with Weykamp to debate therapy choices. The crew then organized back-to-back appointments with all of the docs to debate suggestions.

That course of made every thing rather less irritating, Weykamp mentioned.

Their resolution: androgen deprivation remedy, generally referred to as hormone remedy, and radiation.

As a result of Weykamp’s preliminary scans had proven most cancers in some lymph nodes, they opted to do a more recent, state-of-the-art scan referred to as a prostate-specific membrane antigen PET scan. It might assist pinpoint areas for therapy.

“It does provide far more delicate and particular detection of prostate most cancers,” Dr. Lim mentioned. “It’s now FDA-approved and we do have it obtainable at (Corewell Well being).

“We thought earlier than placing him by the course of radiation, we must always double-check and guarantee that the most cancers hasn’t gone anyplace else.”

Fortunately, it hadn’t.

“We might really feel extra assured continuing with radiation to that space,” Dr. Lim mentioned.

Staying busy

First, although, on June 1, Weykamp obtained a six-month dose of hormone therapy, administered with a shot. Thirty days later he was prepared for radiation, within the type of 5 high-dose remedies, each different day for 10 days.

After therapy, he underwent one other PSA check.

And Weykamp noticed what he hoped for: a zero.

That meant he might get again to the busy life he loved, together with fishing, {golfing} and doing all his personal yardwork—at 81 years previous.

“I don’t sit nonetheless a lot,” Weykamp mentioned. “If you happen to sit nonetheless too lengthy, they’ll kick dust on you.”

Weykamp labored for 40 years as a salesman within the printing enterprise. In retirement he enjoys his pastime as an occasion, nature and wildlife photographer.

He additionally serves on the Grandville Parks and Recreation board.

“I believe angle has lots to do with it,” he mentioned. “In my thoughts, I believed, ‘OK. I’ve most cancers. However we will deal with it, so let’s get to it.’ It’s scary, however with Lemmen-Holton and the system they’ve, the docs, that simply put us comfy.”

He had great help from his household, together with his spouse, Nancy, his son, John, who attended appointments with them, and his grandson, a health care provider from Seattle who Facetimed with them throughout appointments.

Weykamp is grateful he saved up together with his PSA exams.

“Yearly after I had my bodily, that was one thing that at all times got here up in my thoughts,” Weykamp mentioned. “Ought to we do it? And I’m glad I did.”

Dr. Lim encourages males to satisfy with their major care doctor or urologist to debate if, when, and the way usually they need to have a PSA check.

In the meantime, Weykamp plans to maintain busy—and he stays grateful for the care he obtained, in addition to the easy acts of kindness he skilled.

“These are issues that you may’t educate,” he mentioned. “These are simply good, good, compassionate folks. You possibly can’t educate that. It’s simply inside these folks.”