I was officially diagnosed with prostate cancer on Dec. 24, 2009, but I knew what was wrong with me before that. I have spent a lot of my time since then "spreading the word" of the importance of early detection so that I can hopefully help to prevent this from happening to other young men such as myself. I know that I am the exception to the rule, but I also know that I'm not alone. I started a blog, documenting my story and giving me an outlet to rant a little bit. http://anthonybiagirants.blogspot.com/ I don't know if it can, or will, help anyone, but I figure it's better than nothing.

My cancer was allowed far too much time to develop in my body before it was officially discovered.  At that time my Urologist found a nodule on my prostate, my psa level was 164 with a gleason grade of 8.  From there I had a biopsy, bone scan, and CT scan.  By that time it had already metastasized, spreading to my hips, legs, back, shoulders, and my right orbital bone in my head, which limited my treatment options to hormone therapy.  

Hormone Therapy is the complete obliteration of testosterone in my body [chemical castration] so that the cancer has no "food".  It worked for a few months and things were looking pretty good.  If the treatment continued to work properly I was looking at a minimum of five years prognosis with a good chance of ten or more.  However, it stopped working after several months and entered what is called the hormone refractory stage, which essentially means it has become hormone resistant and is continuing to grow.

We tried a couple of other androgen blocking drugs in an attempt to bring me back to where I was before, with limited success which ultimately ended in failure.  My psa levels continued to rise and the pain returned. 

So began my current treatments with radiation and chemotherapy.  My current prognosis is two years, but I am hopeful that a case study on a new drug for which I qualify but am still waiting to begin, will help to drive that number up (in conjunction with the chemo and radiation) to something a little more optimistic.

I've got it pretty bad, it's everywhere, but I am still maintaining a positive attitude towards the future.  I'm far too young to give up and I have too much to live for.  I have four children ranging in age from 19 to 7 and a beautiful woman who loves me.  I have to stay strong for them, and for myself.