Livestream (sometime this March) will be with Radiation Oncologist who specializes in prostate cancer treatment.

[Darryl]

Corrected:

One of our first Livestreams (sometime this March) will be with Radiologist who specializes in prostate cancer treatment. Please email your questions to me, in advance, about whatever you want to know about IMRT, SBRT, Cyberknife, salvage radiation, etc, etc, etc email to [e-mail] with "Livestream" in the subject line. Subscribe at youtube.com/malecare so you will know when to watch

[Tall_Allen]

Why would a radiologist know anything about such treatments? Radiologists are experts in interpreting scans.

[Darryl Partner in reply to Tall_Allen]

Of course. "Radiation Oncologist" is the more knowledgeable bloke, and, indeed, that is the profession of one of our upcoming guests. Well caught, Tall_Allen!

I also misspelled, "whaatever." :>)

[Tall_Allen in reply to Darryl]

I was hoping it was a radiologist - I have lots of issues about some novel scans and the abuse of scans i'd like to discuss. I always tell patients that there is no such thing as a "generic" radiation oncologist (RO), and that they should only take advice from specialists in the specific radiation therapy of interest. There are a few who are knowledgeable across specialties (e.g., Michael Zelefsky is an expert at external beam and LDR brachytherapy), but they are few. What kind of an RO is he?

[Darryl Partner in reply to Tall_Allen]

I'm actually working this very afternoon on an email invitation to several doctors regarding pet scans, ct scans and MRI's ... we'll see who we get. The whole livestream thing is sort of novel...not at all like a slide deck lecture presentation. I'm trying to model myself after Mark Moyad and the way he does the PCRI presentations....that's my goal...I hope to be at least a fraction of the brilliant and humorous way he conducts those talks. Zelefsky was my Dad's doctor and is on the list, but we'll see. There are lots of video's of him....at least for our first few livestreams, I am looking for "personality over pedigree," as long as they have super knowlege and experience.

[Darryl Partner]

Tall_Allen's reply highlights the need, dare I say, the requirement, that we all empower ourselves with precise information. Knowing what things and drugs and people are called matters. Twenty one years ago, when I first became interested in psycho-onocolgy, I started using the term, "LGBT psycho-onocology." I barely recall the Major arguments and vile comments directed at me. I think it took about five years of me using that term before enough researchers and well regarded psycho-oncologists understood and accepted the legitimate arguments I posed. Now, LGBT psycho-onocology is becoming a well researched and populated field of study. All from a simple coined phrase.

Another example from the patient side is how men sometimes say,"prostrate" instead of "prostate." Imagine what a doctor may think of the patient who misspeaks his own disease. I imagine there are few doctors who correct their patient's pronunciation. Are there many doctors or consultants who take time to educate their patients about anything beyond rudimentary prostate cancer facts? They're few and far between, as evidenced by the patient phone calls I take at Malecare.

So, let's take a moment to dedicate ourselves to being a bit more precise - careful - aware - of the language we use regarding our prostate cancer. Precise language may save your life.