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When the Best Choice Is the Right Choice
Following treatment of his prostate cancer with the high-tech CyberKnife system
at the Booker Cancer Center, this Monroe Township man became another satisfied
patient on Riverview Medical Center’s list.
When you meet Doug Hague, you
instantly feel like you know him.
His self-effacing sense of humor, warm
demeanor, and joie de vivre put everyone
around him at ease ... even when he’s
talking about something as serious as
prostate cancer.
In fact, when you ask Doug about
the toughest part of his treatment for
this disease, he’ll tell you it was "lying
down on a table and trying to relax,
because I am very active!"
If this doesn’t sound too taxing, that’s
really due to the non-invasive nature
of the technology that delivered Doug’s
treatment — namely, the groundbreaking
CyberKnife® system, an innovative
robotic stereotactic radiosurgery
technology available at Riverview’s
Booker Cancer Center.
Considering the Options
When Doug first thought he might
have prostate cancer, he didn’t act
immediately. "My PSA level started
increasing slightly, but it wasn’t at
a 4 yet, so I decided to do ‘watchful
waiting’ because I really felt fine,"
Doug recalls. "But the doctor also
discovered some nodules on my
prostate, and when a friend of mine,
who happens to be my wife’s OB/GYN,
heard that I wasn’t doing anything
about it, he went through the roof!"
At that point, Doug began to seriously
research his options. He learned
from a dear friend who had previously
had a prostatectomy that Riverview
offered CyberKnife treatment for
inoperable tumors.
Since Riverview acquired the
CyberKnife system in October 2005,
it has helped numerous patients like Doug get back to what they love
doing — and quickly! For Doug,
that means sailing, hunting, skiing,
and working out daily.
For Nathan Kaufman, M.D., boardcertified
radiation oncologist and
medical director of the CyberKnife
Center, the system means new options
for many patients. "CyberKnife is
a powerful tool in the fight against
cancer," comments Dr. Kaufman,
"and it has allowed us to provide
options for patients with tumors
of the pancreas, prostate, liver, lungs,
spine, neck, and head who, in many
cases, had no alternative."
From a medical standpoint, Doug
actually had several options; but on
a personal level, there was really only
one. He asked himself, "Do I want
to spend a few weeks in the hospital
recovering from a prostatectomy?
Or do I want to force myself to relax for
a few hours, listen to music, and be
done with my treatment in a few days?"
Obviously, he had his answer.
A Very Positive Experience
Doug describes the time he spent at
Riverview as "wonderful." He has only
the best things to say about Dr. Kaufman,
Dr. Robert Smith (his board-certified
urologist), and the entire treatment team
at the Booker Cancer Center. "I think
they must do personality tests," he jokes,
"because every person I came across
was just lovely."
When asked what he was looking
forward to now that he’s completed
his treatment, Doug answered with
his characteristic zest for life and
fun-loving nature: "Having lunch
with my ‘Abused Fathers’ Club’!" As
a member of this distinct group, Doug
enjoys regular lunch dates with a few
of his old colleagues and friends who
all have daughters. As Doug puts it,
"You live for your kids, and they are
your passion, but with four daughters,
you’re bound to take some ribbing over
the years. In fact, my daughter teased
me relentlessly about taking pictures
today for this story, so I can’t wait to
show her how photogenic I am!"
 – Tria Deibert
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