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Bone Complications in Prostate Cancer

Prostate Health

Prostate Cancer: A Survivor's Story

Summary & Participants

Bill Blair is a cancer researcher who found himself stricken with prostate cancer. True to his nature he has fought both the disease and side effects of treatment with enthusiasm and good spirits. Learn how one man has survived and thrived.

Medically Reviewed On: May 09, 2008

Webcast Transcript

BILL BLAIR: It was probably one of the biggest shocks in my life. I've had many other things happen to me. And they were nothing compared to this.

ANNOUNCER: Bill Blair is a six-year prostate cancer survivor. He is also a cancer researcher, who thought he knew his subject inside and out.

BILL BLAIR: I thought I knew, but, in the medical profession, you're taught to distance yourself from the problem so you can be objective. And since then, I've dealt with hundreds, and hundreds of people with cancer. And I understand what they're going through now. I didn't at the time. It's just not easy to describe the feeling you have, of fear and hopelessness, and that you have to deal with it.

ANNOUNCER: When Bill's cancer was discovered he was just looking forward to an active retirement BILL BLAIR: I thought my vision would be that I'd just repair old airplanes, and fly, and do nothing. And I'm not a do nothing person. So that was a downer.

ANNOUNCER: Bill, who'd been used to tackling medical problems head on, felt particularly helpless when his doctor said "cancer."

BILL BLAIR: And I said, "Well, when do I see you?" And he said, "Next Wednesday." I said, "This is Saturday. What do I do between Saturday and Wednesday?" And I had a few tears after that.

ANNOUNCER: Bill initially had surgery to treat his prostate cancer.

BILL BLAIR: I unfortunately didn't fall into that category, as so many men fall into the category, where they cannot be cured by surgery. But I did try. And I, my lymph nodes were positive. And that meant this tumor was somewhere else. So I had to change my tactics.

ANNOUNCER: For bill that meant androgen deprivation therapy.

BILL BLAIR: What you do is you try to stop testosterone from getting to the tumor. Because that feeds it. And then you shut down the process of making testosterone at the same time.

ANNOUNCER: What was difficult for Bill were the side effects of the therapy which included hot flashes, depression and complications that involved his bones.

BILL BLAIR: I had osteoporosis. I was told by my health care provider that it was incurable. I would probably have fractures. My spine might, would collapse. I would, if I fractured a hip, I was in serious trouble. And when you have osteoporosis, the one thing is it, is you're told by sometimes, and with good intention, by your health care providers, "Be very careful. Watch yourself when you're stepping off of steps. Don't fall." And there's a big don't list. And that's a downer.

ANNOUNCER: But Bill's doctors suggested a therapy using intravenous bisphosphonates to deal with the bone complications that came not only from his therapy but from the fact that the cancer had spread to his bones.

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