John Prostate Cancer Patient Story

"You're praying to them, and then all of a sudden, that damn thing went into my bones," said John, who was first diagnosed with prostate cancer when he was 60 years old. "I was pissed," he recalls.

After his family doctor noticed high PSA levels on John's routine blood work, John was referred to a urologist, who treated his prostate cancer with radiation. About five years later, the cancer had spread. John was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer and began seeing oncologist Dr. Jahan Aghalar at New York Cancer & Blood Specialists. 

With the support of his wife and four children and his love for acting and singing, John remained in positive spirits. When his wife passed away in 2017, he got into tap dancing. John took classes in ballet and jazz, too. "Live your life and have fun doing it," he says.

John's treatment plan has included Sipuleucel-T (Provenge), an immunotherapy treatment which stimulates a T-cell immune response targeted against prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP), an antigen that is highly expressed in most prostate cancer cells.  He is now on an oral drug named Abiraterone plus prednisone. He receives Lupron injections every six months.

"Why does it still stay in my body?" he says. "I feel fine."

John continues to see Dr. Agahar every six weeks. 

"Dr. Aghalar is the greatest. Not only is he a human being, but he is so brilliant," he says. "All of the staff are great. I'm very fortunate."