Facing a Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
- 67-year-old Bill Wichrowski, aka Captain Wild Bill from the long-running reality series Deadliest Catch, announced in an emotional new trailer for Season 20 that he is going through “aggressive treatment” for prostate cancer.
- The disease, which is the most common cancer for males in the United States, typically affects 1 in 8 men during their lifetime.
- Though it is unclear what Wichrowski’s specific medical plan is at this time, it can be comforting to know that not all men who are diagnosed are having to undergo treatment. In recent years, treatment protocol for prostate cancer has been changing, with a “watch-and-wait” tactic called active surveillance for low-risk disease.
- The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines divides prostate cancer into one of six risk categories based on how aggressive the cancer looks under the microscope and the chance of it coming back after treatment. These risk categories help guide treatment for the different subtypes of prostate cancers.
- As far as general screening, consult your physician to discuss what may be best for your health situation, and don’t delay getting checked if you are experiencing symptoms such as pain or burning when you urinate or blood in your urine. Most prostate cancers are slow-growing and outcomes are more favorable the earlier you take control of your health.
Known for battling the Bering Sea, the crab fisherman is now documenting his personal health journey along with his open water adventures.
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In the Discovery teaser for the June 11 premiere, Wichrowski, who joined the series in its sixth season, also addressed the widely-known issue of males not always wanting to face their health issues, he said: “How many people get diagnosed with this and just crawl into a shell? And it just makes it worse.”
Wichrowski wants to help change that, and by allowing cameras to show him meeting with doctors, undergoing treatment and then hopping on a boat, he documents that it is possible to keep on working and doing what you love while combatting this disease.
“Cancer couldn’t conquer Bill’s spirit, or stop him from fearlessly taking on the Bering Sea ?,” the TV show’s page captioned the Instagram post.
“I wasn’t going to stop unless I had to,” Wichrowski stated further in the clip.
“You have a great attitude! You’ve got this Captain Bill! Sending healing thoughts your way!” one fan wrote in the comments, while another follower expressed similar sentiment: “❤️❤️God bless you Captain Bill ? keep up the good fight ? ? you got this ? ?.”
A third person shared that his cancer “has no idea what captain he’s messing with.”
Though he can easily be viewed as intimidating on screen, the Pennsylvania-born naval engineer lists the code he lives by as “hard work and honesty” on his personal website.
Two years after achieving small screen fame, the crew leader recruited his son Zack Larson to join the show in 2012.
After living in Alaska for 20 years and doing sportfishing tours out of Costa Rica, Wichrowski, who also has a son names Jake and daughter Delia, now lives in San Carlos, Mexico on his off seasons.
A Groundbreaking Study on Treatment Approach for Prostate Cancer
Though it is unclear what Wichrowski’s specific medical plan is at this time, it can be comforting to know that not all men are having to undergo treatment.
In recent years, treatment protocol for prostate cancer has been changing, and while a “watch-and-wait” tactic called active surveillance was initially met with some controversy by the medical community, a new groundbreaking 10-year study‘s findings reveal there is no significant difference between using a “watch-and-wait” approach to monitor a tumor vs. undergoing treatment in low-risk cases.
It is important to know that early stage does not always mean low risk.
The study, led by PhD scientist and cancer prevention researcher Lisa Newcomb out of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, followed 2,155 patients for almost a decade.
“Our study showed that using active surveillance that includes regular PSA exams and prostate biopsies is a safe and effective management strategy for favorable-risk prostate cancer,” Newcomb stated in the Journal of the American Medical Association last month.
PSA, or protein-specific antigen, is the name of a protein secreted by the prostate gland. Men have a small amount of PSA in their blood all the time but large amounts may signal that something is brewing. When cancer cells grow, PSA spills into the blood.
All of the men studied, with the average age being 63, had “favorable-risk prostate cancer and no prior treatment.” Near the end of the 10-year monitoring period, almost half never needed treatment at all.
RELATED: The VA May Recommend Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer
Again, like Wichroski, not all men with prostate cancer are potential candidates for this watch-and-wait approach. Active surveillance is only recommended for men with low-risk prostate cancer who are capable and willing to follow a very close and active follow-up schedule. Low-risk prostate cancer is slow growing and is biologically less aggressive compared with higher-risk prostate cancer.
“With low-risk prostate cancer, your risk of cancer getting out of the prostate and spreading to other parts of the body is really, really low,” Dr. Stephen Freedland, a urologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet when discussing the topic.
RELATED: People With Low-Risk Prostate Cancer Can Rely on Monitoring the Disease
Men who have low-risk cancer can choose this approach and avoid the potential complications that come with treatment with surgery and radiation. Because the risk of the cancer spreading outside of the prostate is extremely low in men with low-risk disease, this approach is an effective option for men.
Active surveillance includes a PSA test, rectal exam and high-quality imaging tests, which can identify minuscule yet important changes.
How Is Prostate Cancer Staged?
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines divides prostate cancer into one of six risk categories based on how aggressive the cancer looks under the microscope and the chance of it coming back after treatment. These risk categories help guide treatment for the different subtypes of prostate cancers.
The main risk categories for prostate cancer are:
- Very-Low-Risk (VLR) and Low-Risk (LR)
- Favorable- (FIR) and Unfavorable-Intermediate-Risk (UFIR)
- High-Risk (HR) and Very-High-Risk (VHR)
Prostate cancers classified as VLR or LR represent the least aggressive forms of cancer. This categorization will be diagnosed depending on number of factors, including:
- Your doctor can’t feel the cancer on a physical exam, or it occupies one-half or less of one side of the prostate
- Your PSA is less than 10
- Your total Gleason score is 6
- If your cancer is categorized as VLR or LR, this is when your doctor may recommend active surveillance
Learning More About Active Surveillance
Why consider active surveillance? The most common and effective treatments for prostate cancer are radiation therapy and surgery. Despite their effectiveness, these treatments are associated with side effects.
Specifically, radiation can cause erectile dysfunction, urinary frequency, urgency, and changes in bowel habits. Surgery can also cause erectile dysfunction, along with urinary incontinence and urinary leakage.
So if you have been diagnosed with moderate or high-risk cancer, it can be a slippery slope. Something about the cancer isn’t low grade enough to be considered low risk, and many men choose to begin active treatment at this point. Active treatment involves removing the entire prostate, radiation or cryotherapy.
Bottom line, active surveillance is only a great option for men with low-risk prostate cancer who can follow a very active follow-up protocol. Active surveillance allows about 50 percent of men to avoid over-treatment and side effects.
What are the Symptoms of Prostate Cancer?
It might sound odd, but paying attention to the way you urinate can help you know when to seek help. Finding that you’re peeing more often or waking up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom may indicate that you should make a doctor’s appointment, though these may be signs of another problem, such as a urinary tract infection or diabetes.
In any case, having to urinate more often at night should prompt a conversation with your doctor.
Dr. Edwin Posadas tells you what clues may signal that you have prostate cancer
Other warning signs of prostate cancer are:
- Blood in your urine
- Trouble getting an erection
- Pain or burning when you urinate
- Pain in your back, hips, thighs, or other bones
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue
Screening for Prostate Cancer
Because prostate cancer in one man can behave differently than in another there is a serious debate among the top doctors and medical society’s in the United States regarding screening.
However, the United States Preventive Services Taskforce (USPSTF) recommends that for men between the ages of 55-69 years at average risk the decision to screen should be an individual one.
The PSA Blood Test and a Rectal Exam are Vital for Prostate Cancer Screening
What the USPSTF means is that men should have a discussion with their primary care physician about the benefits and harms of prostate cancer screening. Other groups such as the American Urologic Association (AUA) also recommend a shared decision-making process. Some physicians may feel more strongly about screening for prostate cancer than others.
Consult your physician to discuss what may be best for your health situation, and don’t delay getting checked if you are experiencing symptoms. Most prostate cancers are slow-growing and outcomes are more favorable the earlier you take control of your health.
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