Access to The Champion archive is one of many exclusive member benefits. It’s normally restricted to just NACDL members. However, this content, and others like it, is available to everyone in order to educate the public on why criminal justice reform is a necessity.
“Inside NACDL” is dedicated to providing the NACDL membership with
updates on a broad spectrum of NACDL matters, including staff changes,
new benefits, innovative programs or policy initiatives. I try to make
this column as useful and informative as I can. In that spirit, I want
to detour from NACDL matters and address something quite different,
something personal that should matter to all NACDL members and those who
care about them.
Last March, without warning, and without any symptom whatsoever, I was
diagnosed with prostate cancer. The diagnosis was made as a direct
result of having had a routine Protein Specific Antigen (PSA) test.
After a period of bewilderment, I did what most good trial lawyers do
when preparing for a case — I immersed myself in as much information as I
could get. I learned some astonishing things that I want to share with
you.
First, I learned that prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed
non-skin cancer among men. Nearly 219,000 cases are expected to be
diagnosed this year. Tragically, nearly 27,000 men will die of the
disease in 2008 alone. But remarkably, and this is the reason why I felt
compelled to write this column, among those who are diagnosed early,
there is nearly a 100 percent cure rate. The problem is that countless
men, even those fortunate to have medical insurance, do not bother to
get a PSA test — a simple five-minute blood test.
In its early stages prostate cancer produces no symptoms. Therefore,
without the PSA test, you may not realize that this cancer is growing
relentlessly, until it is too late. On the other hand, the PSA test is
not a panacea. There are many false positives and negatives. That is,
for many men a reading beyond the normal range may be the result of
other relatively harmless causes. For others, the PSA may remain within
the normal range even though cancer is present. Another important thing I
learned is that the rate of increase of a PSA reading may be as
significant as the actual number. But, of course, if you have never been
tested, you will not be able to assess the rate of increase.
Indisputably, a PSA test is a defensive procedure. It will alert you to
the possibility of a potentially catastrophic disease so that you can
make informed decisions about whether to pursue other diagnostic
options.
In my case, a relatively low reading, just outside the normal range,
coupled with a sharp increase, is the reason I was sent for the
additional tests that confirmed the disease. That brings me to the final
thing I learned: when discovered early, there are many treatment
options, with new refinements all the time that increase the success
rate and minimize side effects. After considering the options, I settled
on robotic assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy, performed by one of the
leading practitioners of the procedure, Dr. Ash Tewari at New York
Presbyterian - Cornell Medical Center. I spent just over 24 hours in the
hospital and only a week at home. All signs point to a complete
recovery.
So to all NACDL members, whether you are a man or a woman with a man in
your life whom you care about, please assert the best defense. Get
screened. Talk to your doctor to determine when you should start PSA
testing and how often you should do it. And do not hesitate to contact
me if you think you can benefit from discussing any aspect of my
experience. I am happy to help.
