TESTIMONIALS

Testimonials for Dr. Shore
My discovery of prostate cancer came about after the usual symptoms of some urinary restriction, discomfort after intercourse and enlargement of the prostate gland. The final search for treatment started with a PSA reading that gained a full point within a year to a reading of 4.20. This threw up a red flag which prompted Dr. Shore to perform a total 12 biopsies of my prostate. I had mixed emotions awaiting the results which conditioned me to the possibility that there was a good chance of a positive readout. What prompted me to think of that possibility was the research that I did on the internet and the reading material that Dr. Shore provided in his office. On August 16, 2004, my wife and I met with Dr. Shore and discovered the nightmare that was looming in the back of my mind that was a positive reading. I must thank Dr. Shore for his comforting explanation of my individual situation which consisted of a reading of 1 positive core out of 12 cores and a Gleason score of 6 (3+3). Dr. Shore was very clear in explaining my treatment options. He gave me the choice of removal, radioactive seed treatment, wait and see with more biopsies each year or a new procedure he was pioneering called cryosurgery. I left his office in a somewhat state of depression tainted with emotion anger as to the “why me” syndrome. I immediately started my research on the internet of the pros and cons of all Dr. Shore’s recommendations. Dr. Shore also gave me a video tape of the cryosurgery procedure which I watched with my wife who was at my side and in my corner through all of this. I was very confused about what I wanted to do and a subsequent meeting with Dr. Shore brought up the subject of sparing the nerves through cryosurgery as you could do in a removal process. Dr. Shore assured me that it was possible in my case because the positive core was on the left side, therefore allowing the right side nerves to be spared. He further explained that is I chose nerve sparing cryosurgery that he wanted to perform more biopsies on the right side to eliminate the possibility of any positive cores. The results were 8 out of 8 cores taken to read negative which gave the green light to me for cryosurgery. The operation was performed on an outpatient basis on February 22, 2005. I went into surgery that mid afternoon and woke up in the recovery room before 6 pm. I felt very cold and some discomfort in the groin area and where the catheter was inserted. Since it was so late in the evening the nursing staff left it up to me to decide if I wanted to go home or stay the night and go home in the morning. I chose to stay the night, however, in hindsight I would have gone home. The worst discomfort was in the first 24 hours and after that I could see a noticeable improvement on a daily basis. The catheter was removed in a few days and about two weeks later I was looking for projects to do around the house to keep me from getting bored. It took about six weeks for me to completely heal and for my urinary stream to improve to the point of being better than it was when I was sixteen! The proof of Dr. Shore’s expert skills came about on May 23, 2005 when my first PSA test after the operation revealed a very low reading of 0.30. Needless to say, I left like a thousand pounds of anxiety was lifted off my shoulders and it will be a day that I will never forget. I want to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Shore for his surgical skills, his reassurance, and his perseverance in the development of this revolutionary program for treating prostate cancer.
Respectfully Submitted, CWO4 Robert L. Goller USMCRET

I was diagnosed with a lop-sided prostate and sent to Dr Shore in Early 2004. After the biopsies one tested positive and my PSA was high. Dr. Shore explained the options I had. I chose the cryosurgery and it was performed without incident shortly thereafter. I felt cryo was much better than removal surgery as I had never had any surgery in my life. The aftereffects weren't bad but I had to ask others to help me with things during my recovery period. This asking was harder than the surgery as I basically never had to ask anyone for help before. Overall, the "ordeal" wasn't that unpleasant and I'm a survivor for which I thank Dr Shore for his "handiwork" and say "keep the good work, Doc".
- Mr. Jack W. Schick

November 2004 – my PSA had increased drastically and was bumping 10. Dr. Shore recommended a biopsy which shower prostate cancer. I was faced with several options: 1. Do nothing and hope for the best; 2. Chemotherapy every month or so possibly for the rest of my life; 3. Radical prostatectomy, with an unknown hospital stay; or Cryotherapy. This causes one to do some extremely in depth cogitation and discussion with family members.

Dr. Shore explained in detail all the ramifications, then after discussion with family members, it was decided that Cryotherapy, the least invasive procedures with the operation in one afternoon, a short overnight stay in hospital, home the next morning, with mobility that same day and full recovery within a few days, was the wisest choice.

I experienced no adverse effects either during or after the procedure, and the only inconvenience, a minor one, was the requirement for a catheter for a few days. I have recommended this, and will continue to recommend Cryotherapy to anyone who asks my opinion. I am most happy to be under the care of Dr. Shore.
- Mr. Park P. Swan, Major U.S. Army, Retired

In early 2002, during my yearly digital rectal exam, my family doctor recommended that I be referred to a urologist for evaluation, because he thought he felt an abnormality of my prostate. I made an appointment with Dr. Neal Shore. The second DRE was performed by Dr. Shore and he determined that I did have an abnormality of the prostate, but did not seem overly concerned. At my age, 58 at the time, an enlarged prostate is not a rare occurrence. Dr. Shore said that a biopsy was advisable. The biopsy was done as an outpatient procedure and six tissue samples were taken from each side of my prostate. Of all the procedures, the biopsy was the most uncomfortable. The little slices in my prostate were not pleasant. I wasn't really concerned about the biopsy and was sure that my follow-up appointment with Dr. Shore would be routine. I was surprised when he told me that cancer cells had been found in one of the twelve tissue samples. My PSA was 2.5, my Gleason score was 6 and my cancer stage was T1.

Dr. Shore was very reassuring that my cancer was found at a very early stage and was very curable. At the same time he threw words at me, like radical prostatectomy, radiation therapy, brachytherapy, radiation seeding, watchful waiting, and cryotherapy. These were words that I had never used, some that I had never even heard, in all of my fifty-eight years. Library books, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, information from the American Cancer Society and countless web sites were not reassuring; in fact they were downright confusing and disillusioning.

At my next visit with Dr. Shore, my wife and I asked numerous questions we had while trying to wade through and understand all of the information we had read. We were very impressed with Dr. Shore's knowledge and willingness to discuss all of the treatment alternatives and decide together what the best therapy was for my particular case.

Dr. Shore provided us with the kind of knowledge and information we needed to make an informed decision, based solely on our circumstances and what was best for us. We went home from that appointment knowing that we would make the right decision and began the process of studying each procedure. Cryotherapy kept rising to top of our list, based upon the fact that my cancer had not spread and even though it is a relatively new procedure, the success rates were good and I am young enough to really care about side effects and quality of life issues. Cryotherapy was decided on because it is a localized, minimally invasive, highly effective procedure with few side effects and little down time. A second biopsy was done to confirm that my cancer was only in one area of the prostate and had not spread to other areas of the prostate. Since my cancer was discovered so early, the other options for dealing with my cancer seemed too radical for me personally.

In June, 2002 the procedure was completed as an outpatient at our local hospital. My only experience of the treatment and recovery was that I needed to be very careful when I sat down or it could prove painful. The catheter was easy to adjust to and it was only in for a short period of time. I returned to work in a few days after the procedure and was only limited by how much weight I could lift.

I lead a very active lifestyle with no limitations and my PSA results continue to drop. My last PSA test was .75. We live in a beach community and enjoy long walks on the beach, we travel as often as we can afford and we spend lots of time with grandchildren. My life has not changed since my cryotherapy, except that now I am retired and can spend more time doing the things I enjoy.

Cryotherapy was the right procedure for me, it was minimally invasive and complete recovery time was only a couple of weeks. Check the publishing dates of all books and articles you read, some books are updated regularly while others may be several years old and contain outdated information. Cryotherapy is still a relatively new procedure and may not be included in the options, or may only be mentioned as a "procedure that shows some promise". You should make sure that everything you are reading is current.
- Mr. Thomas R. Westlund

On 09/18/01, test results made by Dr. Neal Shore showed a Gleason score of 5. I agreed to his recommendation to have cryosurgery. My family and I were very concerned. The treatment and recovery experience were not as difficult as I thought they would be. In fact, I had no hurting or discomfort at all. My body functions are as good now as they were when I was 40 years old. I feel great, my sex life is great. Although I do use Trimix. I would recommend the procedure to anyone.
- Mr. Douglas B. Collins, age 75

My PSA score was running around 4, but when I went to the free clinic for a screening, it had jumped to 11. At that point, I decided that I should get it checked out. I then made an appointment with Dr. Shore. My brother had died from prostate cancer because he waited too long. I felt ok about everything because I had caught it early and I could do something about it.

Dr. Shore suggested that cryotherapy might be a good option for me. He game me a video to watch, and I thought that cryotherapy sounded like a better option to me than removing the whole prostate. The procedure was good – I don’t remember anything until it was over. My recovery was also good. The only discomfort that I had was the bag that I had to wear to drain the urine.

Dr. Shore did a great job. My PSA is back to less than 1. I am very happy with my experience with cryotherapy.
- Mr. Paul L. Russell, Cryotherapy Patient

I was diagnosed on April 10, 2002. My PSA was a 7.1 and my Gleason score was a 7. After I was diagnosed, I felt depressed. We were all depressed because we did not know how serious of a problem this was. Dr. Shore explained several treatment procedures and gave me a video on the cryotherapy procedure to review. In the meantime, my son researched this procedure on the Internet. From his research, Dr. Shore’s explanation and, most importantly, Jehovah God’s guidance, we chose the cryotherapy procedure. During the treatment, I received great services from the medical staff. I experienced very little waiting time when I went for treatment and the injections were painless. During the recovery time, I had some hot and cold flashes but no pain. Each time I went for my next check-up, my PSA had dropped. This was encouraging to me and the family. My last check-up, my PSA was near 0. Today it remains the same. According to my PSA score, my doctor considers me cancer free. Everything I was told about the procedure proved to be true and I thank Dr. Shore for his honesty. I would highly recommend this procedure to others if the need should arise. I would also like to thank the company, organization, etc. who discovered this program.
- Cryotherapy Patient

Testimonials for Dr. Polascik
My name is Walker C. Mabry. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in June, 2003 at the age of 77. My PSA score was 8.1 and my internist had been following it for several years. I was in otherwise good health, living a full and productive life. At the time of my diagnosis, my wife was suffering from terminal lung cancer. We were traveling to Duke regularly and she insisted I have further testing at Duke. After confirming my diagnosis of prostate cancer, my wife and daughters researched treatment options. Cryotherapy was a new and promising option for the treatment of prostate cancer. We met with Dr. Polascik the first of July, 2003. He was very patient answering all of my questions and concerns. He was able to talk with my wife and daughters about the different treatment options available and helped us make an informed decision. I did not want to pursue any treatment option that would hinder or limit my ability to take care of my wife. As a family, we decided cryotherapy was the right choice for me. I had the procedure at 3:00 and was on my way home by 7:00 the same night. I followed all of the instructions the doctor had given me and I got along exceptionally well. I liked the fact that recuperation time was minimal and I was able to resume a full schedule in about seven to ten days. I also appreciate if the cancer reoccurs, I could repeat the cryotherapy or pursue other treatment options. My overall experience was positive and I remain healthy almost two years after surgery. I have and will continue to urge people to explore cryotherapy as a safe and effective alternative to invasive and lengthy prostate cancer treatments.
- Mr. Walker C. Mabry

When I was first diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2002, there was some uncertainty as to how my treatment should be handled. I was seen by three doctors in the same medical group and each one seemed to have a different opinion as to whether seeds, surgery, radiation or doing nothing due to my age (76) would be the best option. I found their advice confusing, but my wife and I felt we wanted to take some action rather than ignore the problem. Therefore I decided to get a diagnosis from Duke where I fortunately was referred to Dr. Polascik. He discussed various options including cryotherapy and gave me a tape to take home and use to evaluate the procedure. It seemed the best course of action considering my age, the fact that I am still working and the recovery time would be shorter than for other procedures. It was necessary to reduce the size of the tumor by medication before cryotherapy. This was started immediately and worked. After the cryotherapy, within a few weeks I was back to normal and working. A year later a PSA test showed no sign of cancer. Needless to say, my wife and I were pleased with the results and feel that Dr. Polascik did a very competent job and we made the correct choice regarding treatment.
- Mr. Henry B. Tonking, Jr.

During a regular routine visit in the fall of 2002 I had a PSA test which showed elevated. My doctor told me it was elevated 4.4 in October 2002 and I could wait and see or if I wanted he would refer me to an urologist. I went to the urologist who did a biopsy.

The urologist told me I had prostate cancer. My Gleason score was 6. He suggested surgery. I was devastated and immediately began searching for treatment options. I looked into radiation and seed implant and surgery. And read all that I could about prostate cancer.

During this time I was seeing another doctor at Duke and asked if he would give me the name of an oncologist who treated prostate cancer.

I made an appointment with Dr. Thomas Polascik who said cryotherapy was an option for me after explaining the procedure. This was definitely the option for me. I liked the idea of no surgery and was definitely against seed radiation therapy.

I made an appointment for the procedure and I went to Duke Hospital/Durham Regional for the cryotherapy on the scheduled morning. I was released the same evening and rode home which was about 70 miles. I was a bit uncomfortable but no excruciating pain. I had medication to take as needed.

I wore a catheter for a while and it was not much of a problem. I went back to work and my daily routine within a week. Shortly after that I returned for removal of the catheter and was about to void on my own.

My last PSA was 0.2 in November 2005. Excellent! I feel that I had the best thing that was right for me and I would do it again if necessary. I feel like I did prior to the cryotherapy.

I did not have any symptom prior to the PSA and like most men I did not want to take a prostate exam. When you see your physician, if he doesn’t give you a PSA test, ask for one and a biopsy if your PSA is elevated. I feel this has saved my life.

Dr. Thomas Polascik is an excellent physician. He has a great bedside manner. I could not have chosen a better way for me. Dr. Polascik has my permission to give you my telephone number and if you would like to talk to me about cryotherapy I will be more than glad to talk to you.

It is my hope that more research can be done for cryotherapy and that more men will consider it as an option for prostate cancer. And that more women will get behind their men to press them to ask for the PSA test and prostate exam. People need to know that there are other options rather than radiation and surgery in some cases.

I am so thankful this is the path I took. And that Dr. Polascik was there to explain the options and procedures. A lot of men don’t know about cryotherapy and go ahead and have surgery or radiation without checking into cryotherapy.
- Mr. Garland Wells

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