Jim Markgraf

Jim noticed some pain this summer as well as low appetite and weight loss.  The pain would get worse after being active. 

On November 7th, after increased pain, scans and lab work in Hutchinson indicated he had cancer.  On November 8th, a biopsy appointment confirmed prostate cancer.  A November 10th meeting at the cancer center in Hutchinson revealed a stage IV diagnosis and treatment began on Friday, November 11th. 

Jim's plan of treatment is STAMPEDE: Systemic Therapy in Advancing or Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Evaluation of Drug Efficacy.

The plan is to reduce/eliminate testosterone with an injection every three months and chemotherapy appointments approximately every three weeks for six sessions.  Each week in between chemotherapy he will have appointments for labs to check the progress of the treatment as well as determine if he's healthy enough for more treatment.  The goal of the treatment is to try to slow the cancer cells down and kill them; there is not a plan for any surgical intervention.