Prostate Cancer Survivor Urges Men to Get Screened

When Edward Magnus, 77, found out he had prostate cancer the diagnosis took him by surprise.

“At my annual screenings, they found my PSA levels were elevated,” Magnus said. “My brother had been diagnosed with prostate cancer also and it was he and my primary physician who convinced me to have a biopsy.”

Magnus was referred to Board Certified Radiation Oncologist Frank Franzese, M.D. with CyberKnife Centers of Tampa Bay for radiation therapy. The CyberKnife System delivers beams of high-dose radiation to prostate tumors with extreme accuracy, minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Treatment is complete in one to five treatment sessions, and patients are allowed to go home immediately after each procedure to resume normal activities.

“Because prostate cancer often has no early warning signs, it is important to speak with patients about their risk for prostate cancer and encourage them to have their PSA levels monitored,” says Dr. Franzese. “If left untreated, prostate cancer can move to distant sites throughout the body. It is much easier to treat when the disease is caught early and localized to the prostate.”

Magnus has continued follow-up appointments and his PSA levels have shown improvement since his treatment with CyberKnife. For National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, observed in September, Magnus is sharing his journey in hopes of inspiring others to learn their risk and get screened.

“I had a very good friend who died because it wasn’t discovered soon enough,” he says. “Every male should have a PSA test done every year so prostate cancer can be detected early and treated properly.”

Risk factors for prostate cancer include age, family history, and race.

For more information about CyberKnife treatment, visit www.CyberKnifeTampaBay.org.

About CyberKnife Centers of Tampa Bay

CyberKnife Centers of Tampa Bay was founded in 2008 when a group of radiation oncologists with extensive backgrounds and a combined 45 years of radiosurgical experience opened the first CyberKnife Center in Tampa Bay, located on the campus of Town and Country Hospital. Drawing on their experience with CyberKnife centers in Miami, Palm Beach and Naples and their expertise with other forms of radiosurgery, the group introduced this exciting new technology to Central Florida. CyberKnife Centers of Tampa Bay is owned and operated by Tampa Bay Radiosurgery Associates, LLC. With two freestanding facilities located in Tampa and Brandon, the staff at the outpatient centers is dedicated to providing image-guided radiosurgical treatments while understanding and upholding a standard of comfort for patients undergoing treatment.