When Joe Aviles was diagnosed with prostate cancer during his annual physical, it came as quite a shock. “I said ‘Wow.’ I had prostate cancer, and I didn’t have any symptoms, nothing, no problems.”
Joe admits he was scared about treatment. “When I talked to other guys I heard horror stories. Doctors took out their prostate or they had too much radiation and now they can’t hold their urine or get erections.”
Joe’s doctor told him all of his options: he could do watchful waiting, surgery to remove the prostate, standard radiation treatments, or have CyberKnife radiosurgery therapy.
“There was no way I was going to have my prostate taken out and with standard radiation, treatment would take over two months, but then my doctor told me about the CyberKnife and that seemed like a better way to go. There was no cutting, no surgery, and treatment was finished in two weeks.”
Joe went to the CyberKnife Center of Miami and met with a radiation oncologist, “He treated it like it was no big deal. He assured me this was a good way to go. He said, “Don’t worry, you’re a young man, and you’ll live to be an old man.”
Joe was a good candidate for this non-invasive treatment because the tumor was small and contained in the prostate.
Dr. Mark Pomper, board certified radiation oncologist and CyberKnife Miami’s executive director says, “There is a lot of solid research, going back 20 plus years, proving that CyberKnife Radiation Therapy is as effective as standard radiation treatments with fewer if any side effects and CyberKnife can be done in 5 treatments over a 10 day period compared to 42 treatments over several months.”
Because the CyberKnife’s radiation beam is so precise, it’s much less likely to damage surrounding healthy tissue, therefore resulting in fewer side effects.
Joe says, “I can’t believe what some of my friends with prostate cancer went through, and they didn’t have to. The saddest part is their doctors didn’t tell them about CyberKnife. After talking to the cancer experts at CyberKnife Miami and learning about the CyberKnife, I knew I made the right decision. I can’t believe anyone would choose anything else. It was so easy. I didn’t feel a thing during or after treatment. Most times, I just laid there, closed my eyes, and listened to the music.”
Joe had 5 CyberKnife treatments over 10 days. “It’s been 10 years since my treatments. I’m cancer free and have no complaints. I wish more men knew about CyberKnife. Don’t just do what your doctor tells you, do your homework, learn all your treatment options.”
Joe has also has been treated for throat cancer, which required chemotherapy and standard radiation. Because it had spread, CyberKnife was not an option, but he wishes it would have been. Here’s how Joe compares the two.
“Treatment with CyberKnife is like a day at the beach. Standard radiation for my throat cancer was torture.”
Joe and his wife Luz go to cancer fundraisers all the time. He says, “It gives me the opportunity to educate people about CyberKnife. If I had to do it over again I’d go to CyberKnife Miami and my friends would too.”
If you’re interested in a consultation with our oncology team at CyberKnife Miami to find out if you’re a candidate for our treatment, call 305-279-2900. Our goal is to get you treated as effectively, easily, safely and quickly as possible so you can get back to your life cancer free. And because we know how difficult a cancer diagnosis is, we hold your hand and walk you and your family through it every step of the way.