1961

As we ease into the years when prostate cancer will unfortunately become more common in the class of 1961, Tony Horan is on a crusade. Tony, a urologic surgeon with the VA Medical Center in Fresno, Calif., has developed evidence that the radical prostatectomy is overused, and antiandrogen therapy may be just as effective. In medical articles he sent to me, he said the national decline in deaths from prostate cancer, which many have attributed to early surgery, may just as well be attributed to the decline in the rate of radical prostatectomy. "As the radical prostatectomy rate increased from 1988 to a peak in 1992, the death rate also increased. As the number of radical prostatectomies declined so did the death rate. The Medicare administration has determined that the nonspecific death rate is quadrupled in the three months following radical prostatectomy." He also cites a study that patients diagnosed with prostate cancer and monitored by surveillance alone exhibited little difference in outcome compared to those who underwent prostatectomy. Among doctors in private practice, use of anti-androgen therapy is increasing. He said these doctors "were responding to evidence that early, rather than late, anti-androgen intervention prolongs life." He notes that when compared to British doctors, 79 percent of American specialists opt for radical prostatectomies, compared to only four percent of British specialists.

Update from Larry Gleeson: "In response to your April column, let me say that it was Bancroft Brown who informed us of the odds that two or more people would have a birthday in common. All one needs is a group of people numbering no more than 22 to 27. Sorry to say I can no longer recall the exact number, but it is closer to 22 than 27."

Scattered notes from the San Francisco mini-reunion: Steve Dale: "In my 12th year working as a full-time musician teaching, playing (piano), and writing " and enjoying every minute of it." Dennis Kontra: "Ophthalmologist in solo practice for 30 years in Racine, Wis. Married for 34 years to Sandy. Hobbies: oil painting, golf, tennis, and skiing." Jon Sperling: "Retired from Foreign Service, still consulting in the former Soviet Union. Enjoying home in the USA, finally, and having a chance to enjoy all it has to offer." Wally Palmer: "Still in publishing...currently vice president of research for Infoworld Media Group...may we all stay healthy and keep this great fraternity going..." Fred Fields: "After 35 years with the same law firm with which I started the day after graduating from Stanford Law School, I joined a new firm. I felt like a sixth-grader who had just changed schools. But change is invigorating, and Fm loving the experience—great people, great lawyers, great firm. Except for a blown ACL (skiing) seven weeks ago, still getting along pretty well..." Jake Gillespie: "Retired after 37 years in the Foreign Service with the U.S. Information Agency...My plans include doing a lot of things I have wanted to do for years. Serious employment is not one of them."

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