Mr. Art Cain – Prostate Cancer Survivor

Mr. Art Cain, PHEN Survivor Network Member, Atlanta, GA

Mr. Art Cain described his prostate cancer journey at the third session of the PHEN Summit. He began having symptoms in 2012, but his PSA levels only rose by the end of 2014. He was first diagnosed with prostate cancer in January 2015. His biopsy showed a Gleason score of 8, but a bone scan and CT scan showed no metastasis. His treatments included radioactive seed implants and external beam radiation therapy. Even though his scans showed no spread, his PSA levels continued to rise. He became worried and made an appointment with a medical oncologist.

Another bone and CT scan showed metastasis. Mr. Cain went on standard-of-care hormone therapy and his PSA levels did decline. However, when his PSA numbers increased again, he learned about another oncologist from his support group. He first spoke with the doctor at a national conference in Washington and then went to a medical appointment where the oncologist discussed a clinical trial at Duke Cancer Center for Mr. Cain. He entered the trial and found the drug combination therapy trial reduced his PSA levels to undetectable levels, which have remained undetectable for the last three years.