Running on Medical Technology

Matt McCormick loves a challenge, which is why, at age 55, he decided to pursue a life-long ambition to run a marathon. He chose the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. Matt began training for the race in March 2005 and was making significant progress. But just one month later, after a diagnostic prostate cancer test, his doctor told him something that froze him in his tracks — Matt had developed prostate cancer. Suddenly his goal of finishing his first marathon was the last thing on his mind. He was singularly focused on his health.

Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer affecting men and is the third leading cause of cancer deaths among men, after lung and colorectal cancer.

Prostate Cancer: 2nd Most Common Cancer Among Men in the United States1

Number of new cases diagnosed annually234,460
Deaths27,350

Although one in six men will have prostate cancer during their lifetime, thanks to advancements in medical technology, only one in 34 men will die of the disease.1 Since the early 1990s, more men have started to undergo regular screening tests to detect prostate cancer early. As a result, the prostate cancer death rate has dropped significantly.1

Early Detection is Key to Survival

The earlier prostate cancer cells are caught, the better chance patients have of surviving the disease and the lower the cost of treatment. The two most utilized screening tests are the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) exam and the digital rectal exam (DRE).

Matt’s physician conducted both a DRE and a PSA test. PSAs are proteins made by normal cells in the prostate glands and can be measured by a blood test. An elevated PSA level is a warning sign to physicians that will prompt further investigation. A recent study found that the U>S. cost per year of a life saved by prostate cancer screening with PSA and DRE tests was between $3,574 and $4,627.3 A new type of PSA test is called a “free” PSA test, which provides a finer screen of patients who test positive with a PSA test, eliminating 20 percent of unnecessary biopsies.4

Matt’s PSA and DRE tests indicated some abnormality in the prostate. His doctor ordered a prostate biopsy, which is the only means to diagnose prostate cancer with certainty. Using a sonogram to pinpoint the sampling points, the physician took several tissue samples from the prostate. Matt’s biopsy confirmed that indeed he had cancerous cells in his prostate. Although the physician was able to catch Matt’s prostate cancer early, he was fearful that it would grow rapidly and cause further complications.

Taking Action against Prostate Cancer

Matt decided, after consulting with several physicians, that the best course of action would be a radical prostatectomy, or surgery to remove the entire prostate and some surrounding tissue. The traditional approach to this procedure is invasive and requires lengthy surgery and recovery times. However, since 1999, patients like Matt have benefited from a new option — minimally invasive radical prostatectomy. Matt was also lucky to have the latest generation procedure, in which the surgeon uses a robotic surgical tool, allowing for greater precision and a less invasive surgery.

Medical Technology Advances Prostate Cancer Treatment
Radical RetropubicPerinealMinimally Invasive
Incision size and locationA large incision (8-10 centimeters) is made in the lower abdomen5A 4-centimeter incision is made between the anus and the scrotumSeveral small incisions1
Surgery time208.1 minutes9188 minutes10130 minutes11
Post-surgical hospital stay6-7 days122-3 days18-23 hours11
Total cost of procedure$9,1691$7,10013$6,76014
Post surgical catheter time1-3 weeks11-3 weeks15 days15

A recent study found that minimally invasive surgical procedures are comparable in cost to traditional “open” surgical procedures, due to the shorter operation and recovery time, which generally lead to a shorter hospital stay.16

Although it took Matt several weeks to fully recover, he was back to training within two weeks of his surgery. During his first workout after surgery Matt walked 20 miles without stopping and felt very little discomfort — from the surgery at least. Four months after surgery, Matt finished the Marine Corps Marathon alongside two of his four children. “The combination of an early cancer diagnosis and having minimally invasive surgery allowed me to accomplish a life long goal,” said Matt.

  1. American Cancer Society. “Overview: Prostate Cancer.” http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/ CRI_2_2_1X_How_many_men_get_prostate_cancer_36.asp?rnav=cri (24 April 2006).
  2. McDavid K, Lee J, Mab J, et al. “Prostate Cancer Incidence and Mortality Rates and Trends in the United States and Canada.” Public Health Reports 119 (2004):174-186.
  3. Benoit R, Gronberg H, Naslund M. “A quantitative analysis of the costs and benefits of prostate cancer screening.” Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 4(3) (2001):138-145.
  4. Catalona W, et al. “Use of the percentage of free prostate specific antigen to enhance differentiation of prostate cancer from benign prostatic diseases: a prospective multicenter clinical trial.” Journal of the American Medical Association. 279 (1998):1542-1547.
  5. Prostate Cancer Treatment Guide. “Information about retropubic prostatectomy.” http://www.prostate-cancer.com/prostatectomy/treatment-description/prostatectomy-description.html (24 April 2006).
  6. Reis F, Netto N, Reinato J, et al. “The impact of prostatectomy and brachytherapy in patients with localized prostate cancer.” Int Urol Nephrol 36(2) (2004):187-90.
  7. Harris M. “Radical perineal prostatectomy: cost efficient, outcome effective, minimally invasive prostate cancer management.” Eur Urol 44(3) (2003):303-8.
  8. Carlsson S, Nilsson A, Wiklund P. “Postoperative urinary continence after robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.” Scand J Urol Nephrol 40(2) (2006):103-7.
  9. Lepor H, Kaci L. “Contemporary evaluation of operative parameters and complications related to open radical retropubic prostatectomy.” Urology 62(4) (2003):702-6.
  10. Dahm P, Yang B, Salmen C, et al. “Radical perineal prostatectomy for the treatment of localized prostate cancer in morbidly obese patients.” Journal of Urology 174(1) (2005):131-4.
  11. Joseph J, Rosenbaum R, Madeb R, et al. “Robotic extraperitoneal radical prostatectomy: an alternative approach.” Journal of Urology 175 (2006):945-51.
  12. Aguilo L, Suarez N, Planes M, et al. “Radical prostatectomy. A review of our series between 1997-2003.” Actas Urol Esp 29(6) (2005):542-9.
  13. Silverstein A, Weizer A, Dowell J, et al. “Cost comparison of radical retropubic and radical perineal prostatectomy: single institution experience.” Urology 63(4) (2004):746-50.
  14. Anderson J, Murdock A, Cadeddu J, et al. “Cost comparison of laparoscopic versus radical retropubic prostatectomy.” Urology 66(3) (2005):557-60.
  15. Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center. “Statistics about robotic surgery.” http://www.roboticoncology.com/index.php (24 April 2006).
  16. Lotan Y, Cadeddu J, Gettman M. ”The new economics of radical prostatectomy: cost comparison of open, laparoscopic and robot assisted techniques.” Journal of Urology 172 (2004):1431-5.


Matt went from a chilling diagnosis to running a marathon in four months, thanks to medical technology. Read more on how advanced technology improves lives.
Value: Medical technology lowers social costs by getting people back to work and life. Dependability: Using the highest safety standards, medical technology improves patient outcomes. Innovation: The unique interaction between patients, physicians, medical innovators and legislative champions drives breakthroughs in medical technology.