Welcome to our CaringBridge website for Sam Sakurada and his journey through Prostate Cancer. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place.
After an annual exam showed an elevated PRA level, Sam went in for a biopsy procedure in October 2020. As things seem to go during this crazy year, the biopsy results showed 2 spots of the 12 samples taken that had cancerous cells. There is not a tumor or lump and it has been caught early. The Gleason score was (3+4 = 7). For reference Gleason scores are between 2 & 10. The cancer levels begin at 6. This puts Sam at a Grade Group of 2 (on a scale from 1 - 5) which means it is fairly slow growing and not expected to spread very quickly.
Sam met with the urologist and learned of the options he had for treatment. After speaking with the oncologist he has decided to proceed with 2 treatments, hormone therapy and radiation therapy. He will begin hormone therapy on Monday, November 2nd. This is kind of like chemotherapy that consists of an injection that will reduce the androgens (male hormones) to a very low level which helps to starve off the cancer cells. This injection will work for 30 days.
So, early December Sam will have a follow-up appointment to check the status of everything. At this time they plan to give him another injection lasting 3-month and begin preparations for radiation therapy. The doctor used very advanced technology that involves using a CT Scan, a full body mold and markers both inside the prostate and on the body that are all designed to focus the radiation very specifically to the cancer spots while minimizing the exposure to the rest of the body. The preparation and development takes a couple weeks before the radiation therapy begins.
Once the radiation treatments begin, Sam will have to go in every day Monday through Friday for about 8 weeks. These appointments last about 30 mins mostly taking time to get positioned perfectly. Between the hormone therapy and radiation, the cancer cells should be destroyed. Hopefully at this point he will be able to start the road to recovery cancer free.
As always, our family stands strongly together in this fight. We have defeated cancer before as a family and we will again! Challenges certainly exist with the Covid19 pandemic also threatening the world so we will need to be extremely cautious with exposure. Kathy, Jen, Steve, Kellie, Ketler and Isabelle will be there every step of the way for care, support, comfort, and plenty of love.
We appreciate your support, prayers and words of hope and encouragement. We will keep the latest news updated here. Thank you for visiting this page.
My doctor was very pleased with my progress at this time. My PSA was 0.12 which is great! My testosterone is improving and in the normal range. Both are going in the right direction with no issues at this time. Next check will be in 6 months.
I am so grateful for the support of all of my friends and family! Thanks for your positive thoughts and especially your prayers.
Patients and caregivers love hearing from you; add a comment to show your support.
Help Sam Stay Connected to Family and Friends
A $25 donation to CaringBridge powers a site like Sam's for two weeks. Will you make a gift to help ensure that this site stays online for them and for you?
