At 55 years old, longtime North Bergen resident Francisco Vidal is training to run in the next Brooklyn Half Marathon. A health enthusiast, he works out regularly and hopes to participate in the New York Marathon after that, for the second time. The first time, he completed it in just under four hours.
But that was before he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Nowadays, thanks to an innovative course of treatment, his cancer has abated. “I’m a positive person,” he said. “I took this all with my chin high and had a lot of faith.”
Innovative treatment
About a year ago during a regular check-up, Vidal’s primary physician pointed out he had a high PSA (prostate-specific antigen) level and should keep an eye on it.
PSA is a substance produced by the prostate gland. Elevated PSA levels are a warning of prostate cancer. Men with prostate cancer often have levels of four or higher. When Vidal tested above four in a follow-up visit, he went for a biopsy and got the bad news.
“They discovered a good percentage of the left side of my prostate had cancer cells,” he recalled. “That was about four months ago.”
Vidal already had personal experience with prostate cancer, since his father had been diagnosed with it about 10 years ago.
“They actually target the specific cancer area so it doesn’t splash.” –Francisco Vidal
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Vidal’s doctor offered him a choice of options to combat the cancer: radiation treatment or surgery to remove it. But Vidal had a third option in mind.
Month earlier he had heard a radio spot about a cancer treatment center that used a different form of treatment. So he booked a visit to ProCure in Somerset and within a few weeks began regular sessions there.
“It consists of proton beams in isolated form,” he explained. “They actually target the specific cancer area so it doesn’t splash. That way the radiation doesn’t affect other organs which cause the side effects.”
Treatments lasted only about 15 minutes each, five days a week for 44 sessions. “They put you on this bed and align you with these crosshairs and take X-rays first and zone in on the area,” Vidal said. “They implanted a gold marker and the beams go through that area. The doctor said I’m a richer man because I have gold inside of me.”
Unlike other forms of treatment, the proton therapy didn’t leave him physically drained. “I was able to go to work right after the treatment every day and stay within my training regimen,” he said. “I regularly go to the gym and lift, run, cross-train.”
Following the completion of his 44 sessions Vidal had a PSA test again. The doctors warned him to expect a high number at first because of inflammation, and that the number should decrease with time.
He tested at 2.0. “That’s basically normal,” he said. “The doctor was expecting like a six so he was in shock.”
‘Listen to your body’
A native of Colombia, Vidal came to the U.S. in 1970, attending Cliffside Park High School and then moving to Union City when he got married, “working his way up” to Guttenberg and finally North Bergen. “I’ve been in this area over 44 years,” he said proudly.
Part of a large family, he has two daughters in college and third who served as an auditor for the Army in Iraq and Kuwait.
Vidal went to church every week growing up. “I don’t go to church the way I used to but growing up but I keep my faith. I pray a lot,” he said. “And I’m confident. I hope to God I don’t get delayed reaction side effects, but I had minimal side effects through treatment.”
He was eager to share his story “just to let people know there are other options” as alternatives to radiation or surgery.
“You have to listen to your body,” he said. “If you want to extend your life you can’t ignore certain symptoms that come along. You need to take care of yourself.”
Art Schwartz may be reached at arts@hudsonreporter.com.