Cancer Survivor Urges Men to Get Screened

OCALA, Fla. - Sept. 4, 2014 - PRLog -- When Jim Davis found out he had prostate cancer, he knew it was time to learn everything he could about the disease. Now retired from a successful career with a pharmaceutical company, Davis, 81, put his medical research skills into action to learn everything he could about the disease.

“I received regular PSA testing every year prior, but when I got the diagnosis in 2009, I went to every medical school I could find to read everything they had about prostate cancer treatment,” Davis says. “After going through about 14 major medical schools in the country, I came to the conclusion that I wanted to treat it with radiation therapy, not surgery.”

Davis chose 21^st Century Oncology and Board Certified Radiation Oncologist Jayanth G. Rao, M.D., located right in his backyard in Ocala, Fla.

“Dr. Rao, spent an hour and 30 minutes with me, showing me all the literature, explaining everything that would be done, how it would be taken care of, and how the process worked,” Davis says. “By the time we were finished, I was not afraid of anything and was ready to start treatment.”

While at 21^st Century Oncology, Davis received Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), a type of external radiation therapy that uses thousands of radiation “beamlets” from many different angles to deliver radiation to a tumor. These deliver a precisely focused dose of radiation to the tumor while minimizing damage to surrounding, normal tissue.

“Throughout my career, I’ve traveled to many clinics, medical schools, and doctor’s offices across the U.S., and I can truly say that the staff at 21^st Century Oncology was the best I’ve ever experienced,” Davis says. “Dr. Rao is a talented physician and a gentleman with a kind and skilled bedside manner. I was so glad that under these circumstances, the staff at 21^st Century Oncology was there for me.”

Without testing and early diagnosis, his prognosis could have been very different. Now, five years later and cancer free, he hopes that sharing his story will help encourage others to get screened for the disease during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

“Prostate cancer is not going away, and the more that we talk about it, the more lives can be saved,” Davis says. “Men need to forget their ego, see their doctor and ask them to do a PSA test. You owe it to yourself and to your family.”

Risk factors for prostate cancer include age, family history and race. Men who have had a father or brother with prostate cancer have a greater chance of developing prostate cancer. African American men have the highest rate of prostate cancer, while Asian and Native American men have the lowest rates.

For more information about our services, visit www.21cOncologyMarionCitrus.com or call (352) 291-2495.

About 21^st Century Oncology:

21^st Century Oncology is the largest global, physician led provider of Integrated Cancer Care services. The company offers a comprehensive range of cancer treatment services, focused on delivering academic quality, cost-effective patient care in personal and convenient settings. The company operates 185 treatment centers, including 150 centers located in 16 states. The company also operates 35 centers located in six countries in Latin America. The company holds market-leading positions in most of its domestic local markets and abroad.