“I’ve been athletic all my life. I’ve always been in really good shape,” says Dean Romig, a prostate cancer survivor treated at Piedmont Atlanta. “When I turned 40, I started going for an annual physical, and I’m glad I do. That’s how I found out, through a PSA test, that I had cancer.”

Keep Track of Your PSA Numbers

“Over the last three or four years, my PSA numbers would fluctuate,” he says. “One year it went from 1.6 to 3.2, so my doctor wanted me to see a urologist.” He talked with men he knew, and they told him their PSA levels also fluctuated and not to worry about it. “This year, it went from 2.6 to 4.8,” he explains. That’s when he decided to see a specialist.

Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Recovery

“They confirmed that I did have prostate cancer,” Romig says. “We researched everything. Neighbors who have also had prostate cancer helped us make a decision about which way we wanted to go with treatment.” After undergoing robotic surgery, Romig was most surprised that while he experienced some discomfort, overall his recovery was not painful.  “I’ve had a lot of different surgeries and I can honestly say that I wouldn’t consider this pain,” he says.

“My message to other men would be to go for your annual physical and have your PSA test done,” Romig says. “Early detection is the key.” One in six men is at risk for prostate cancer, so have your PSA levels checked at your annual physical and keep track of your numbers. It could save your life.

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