Bruce LeMar: All the Right Moves

 Bruce LeMar is a model health care consumer. He’s well-informed about his condition, curious, and takes ownership in the treatment of his condition. When he was diagnosed with an early stage of prostate cancer during a routine screening, he was ready to tackle the situation head on.

“I’ve had annual exams since my early 50’s, which I recommend to everybody. I had a false alarm one and a half years ago…in my mind, the red flag was raised at that point,” he says.

Being an educated health care consumer, Bruce was looking for the best long term solution available for his diagnosis. “I wanted some confidence that I wasn’t going to be doing this again.” Even if it meant travelling overseas for treatment, Bruce was up to the challenge.

After consulting with several Urologists, Bruce set off to research his treatment options. There he learned of all the options available to him, including the next generation of radiation therapy called RapidArc. He learned that RapidArc, which was available in his Bloomington home, had fewer side effects than traditional radiation therapy, faster treatment times, better protection of healthy tissue, and increased treatment accuracy. “It’s all about the targeting,” says Bruce.
Removal of the prostate was also an option, as was proton therapy, but he was convinced that RapidArc radiation was sufficient and would have the least amount of side effects and discomfort.

Bruce is quick to remind other cancer patients that every person’s situation is different; what may be good for one may not be good for another: “there are many very passionate advocates for different treatments and there are always alternatives…do the research.”

After deciding on RapidArc as his best option, he set about bonding with his health care team. “Dr. [David] Lee offered exceptional consultation. He was easily the best prepared about my condition. His level of preparation and the Bloomington Hospital Radiation Oncology Center’s upfront education was a real plus,” says Bruce. “And because I too was prepared, we could have discussions that went beyond the basics of my condition.”

The Bloomington Hospital Radiation Oncology Center was the first in the state to offer RapidArc treatment, is accredited by the American College of Radiology, and was recently recognized as one of the nation’s “Five IGRT/IMRT (image-guided & intensity-modulated radiation therapy) Centers to Watch.”

Bruce underwent 43 separate treatments in eight and a half weeks. “I really embraced this treatment, and the RapidArc treatments were only two minutes each. You can’t beat that,” says Bruce. Bruce had minimal and manageable side effects, mainly on the first day of treatment. “My body knew something was different and adjustments were noticeable the first two and a half weeks, followed by relative stability and normality.” Bruce’s RapidArc treatments provided the long-term solution to his diagnosis that he wished for, with all signs pointing to a full recovery.
The health care team built around Bruce and his condition was monumental to his success. Everybody was important, says Bruce. The Radiation Oncologist, the Urologist, nurses, and even the Dietitian’s role in helping alleviate potential side effects was invaluable. “I hadn’t expected it, but diet can have a large impact on your side effects and recovery.”

Bruce is now an advocate for cancer treatment education. “Take ownership of your condition. Know and understand exactly what you have,” reminds Bruce. “Too many people are reluctant to become involved in their treatment and health, which is unfortunate.”