Early Screening and Detection of Prostate Cancer Saves Local Man’s Life

Richard McAlpin has always led an active lifestyle, and you can regularly find him on the local golf course, playing 18 holes with his friends. So when the 75-year-old Pomona resident started experiencing dizziness in October 2021, he went in for a routine physical.

After learning he had high blood pressure, Richard stayed on top of his new diagnosis by taking his medication. A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test was performed as part of his visit. The test concluded that his levels were elevated. He was then referred to Dr. Michael Consolo MD, a urologist affiliated with Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center (PVHMC), for further testing. A cancer diagnosis was the last thing Richard expected.

"I was shocked," he said. "It was a relief to hear from the doctors that the cancer was caught early and is curable."

Richard's doctor referred him to Y.S. Ram Rao, MD, FACRO, Radiation Oncologist and Medical Director of Oncology at The Robert and Beverly Lewis Family Cancer Care Center at PVHMC, where he underwent additional tests to learn more about his prostate cancer diagnosis and determine the next steps.

"Patients today are very fortunate because of the PSA screening," Dr. Rao shared. "The earlier the diagnosis, the better the cure rate."

The Robert & Beverly Lewis Family Cancer Care Center at PVHMC offers the latest advancements in cancer treatments, such as image-guided radiation – Tomotherapy – where radiation is focused precisely on the prostate to ensure accuracy while minimizing risk of radiation to surrounding healthy tissue and organs.

"During the whole process from start to finish, there's a nurse with you, and I felt total support from the nurse and the doctor," Richard said. "Everything they told me about what I would experience was true," he added. "The entire team of doctors, nurses, and staff at the Cancer Care Center made the process easier and helped me understand every side effect and what I would be feeling (or not) during treatment."

Richard recently completed his treatment and was excited to "ring the bell" in at PVHMC’s Radiation Center, signaling the conclusion of his cancer treatment. He is looking forward to being back on the golf course with his friends and helping his father.

"I am very fortunate the cancer was caught early," Richard shared. "My advice is for everyone is to get screened yearly-- that's at 50 like they recommend or earlier if you have a family history."