Senator Christopher Dodd Can Overcome Early Stage Prostate Cancer - My Dad Did!

Senator Christopher Dodd was diagnosed this week with early stage prostate cancer, a diagnosis that, at the time, was probably scary but, in retrospective, really isn't. As the daughter of a man who was also diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer a few years ago, I know how Senator Dodd and his family must have felt about the cancer diagnosis. But, let me tell you, it's really not that bad and, in fact, in the grand scheme of things because Senator Dodd's prostate cancer was caught so early (just like my dad's), he has an incredibly high chance of a complete cure and recovery.

My dad, like Senator Dodd, was diagnosed after a routine medical check-up and a follow up biopsy. Luckily, he had good medical insurance at the time, unlike many Americans, so was able to have annual medical check-ups. Unlike Senator Dodd though, my father elected to avoid surgery as the long-term effects can be horrendous. With surgery, the prostate is usually removed and, for several men my father met, this had meant a future of incontinence or a future of short-term or long-term impotence. As my father was still quite young at the time, (around 61 years old) a lifetime of peeing in a bag didn't hold much appeal and, as for impotence, as his daughter I'm not even going there!

So, my father, unlike Senator Christopher Dodd, elected to have radiation therapy. This meant having radioactive seeds implanted around his prostate and then follow up with hormone therapy. For my dad, overall, the side effects seemed to be minimal. He was tired more, he slept more and, of course, he was stressed. But, in the long run, the outcome of this treatment was perfect. A few months after the radiation treatment, his PSA count was already heading back to normal (it's been at normal now for a few years) and, eight years later, he's now completely cancer-free.

For Senator Dodd, hopefully his prostate cancer surgery will be one of those that gives him less side-effects. If done by a competent surgeon, he'll be in pain for a few days, but will likely be back in his office and running his Senate race campaign in just a couple of weeks. Long-term, it's not likely to affect his ability to do his job at all. Nor, is the short-term sympathy he's gotten likely to garner him more votes - voters don't really think that way.

And for you, if you're a man who hasn't had a PSA count check up or a prostate exam in a few years and, especially if you're over the age of 50, go to your doctor and get an annual medical exam. Catching prostate cancer early, like Senator Christopher Dodd and my dad did, can literally mean the difference between life and death.

SOURCES: National Cancer Institute - Prostate Cancer and Yahoo News! - Conn. Senate race pauses for Dodd, who has cancer