Connect
← Return to Diagnosed Yesterday 04/14/26 - Gleason 9 treatment
Discussion
Diagnosed Yesterday 04/14/26 - Gleason 9 treatment
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: 8 hours ago | Replies (30)Comment receiving replies
@wheel1
I am as remote as it gets in the world. Remote distant Alaska. Just got back here, as I mentioned I have all or most of the files any competent UO or RO would need including most images. Me travelling for two-three days each way to get to sit in a room to review these files doesn't make sense and so I am searching for a telemedicine or virtual consult. I could do it by email, phone or zoom/proprietary conferencing.. ETC. this is not unreasonable. Is there an expert somewhere out there that can do this at a centre of excellence? where?
If I was down in the lower 48 I would agree with your statements above.
Most likely I will have treatment in the lower 48 most certainly but at this point I want a second/third opinion on the treatment path or options based on the data in the next week. If that is not possible just tell me.
Thank you very much for your time!
Replies to "@wheel1 I am as remote as it gets in the world. Remote distant Alaska. Just got..."
@byelliq6 Since you’re already so far west, a center of excellence in California would make sense; they can certainly do telemedicine visits before treatment.
Jeff Marchi probably can give you some excellent doctors since he lives in California.
While your Gleason score is scary - sorry, but mine was a 7 unfavorable and I almost dropped dead - there’s no reason an excellent surgeon can’t get it all.
You are being pragmatic about micro metastases which is why surgery is ideal. Get out the tumor and then follow up with salvage treatment if necessary - or adjunctive treatment immediately post-op depending on the surgical pathology. If margins not clean or capsule is broken you’d probably want to be more aggressive with treatment. Best of Luck,
Phil
@byelliq6, if you're interested in asking about a remote (virtual) second opinion at Mayo Clinic, you can inquire here: https://mayocl.in/1mtmR63
I'm bringing @jimcinak into this discussion. He too lives in the interior of Alaska and was treated for prostate cancer in the lower 48 (Mayo Clinic Rochester). https://connect.mayoclinic.org/comment/655549/
He may be able to share more about traveling for treatment from Alaska.
Connect
@byelliq6
Definitely your approach for the opinions in your more unique geographical circumstances are appropriate. Since you acknowledge that you would likely undergo your treatment in the lower 48, I would focus obtaining my second opinions from hospitals in the area you might travel to. In your case getting all the copies of your records for each physician review is the time consuming part for you, so everyone has everything, without waiting each time for a return of your records to forward to another physician. You have been obtaining all your tests fairly timely through your new urologist who seems pretty up to date