Author: Leslie Toldo
When Randy Hoffman’s PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) score kept rising, both he and his doctor decided it was time to act.
“They say age will make your PSA climb, but when it shot straight up, I knew something was going on,” Randy said. “I was referred to a urologist, who did a biopsy and discovered I had an aggressive prostate cancer. My Gleason score was 8.”
The Gleason score is a grading system for prostate cancer. Scores of 8 and higher indicate higher grade cancers that are growing faster and are more likely to spread.
“It’s a shocker when you hear you have cancer, and you don’t know how to deal with it at first,” Randy said. “I knew a guy who died from prostate cancer because they didn’t catch it early enough, so it was scary.”
Since Randy’s prostate cancer was considered aggressive his doctor told him radiation and hormonal therapy, or surgery would be options for him. Randy’s urologist referred him to radiation oncologist Dr. Hani Al Halabi at the Karmanos Cancer Institute in Owosso.
“I had a bone scan, PET scan, and an MRI,” Randy said. “Then Dr. Al Halabi told me he could treat me with proton therapy at the McLaren Proton Therapy Center in Flint.”
During traditional radiation therapy, x-rays deliver radiation to tumors, then continue to move through the body, leaving behind an exit dose that can damage surrounding tissues and organs. Protons deliver radiation in a more targeted way, taking the size and shape of the tumor and stopping, with no exit dose.
“With dramatically lower radiation exposure to tissues and organs beyond the tumor, proton therapy offers our patients less risk of side effects,” said Dr. Al Halabi. “This adds up to a better quality of life not only after treatment, but during. Many of our patients go on with their normal everyday activities while under our care.”
That was Randy’s experience, and he could not be happier with his care at the McLaren Proton Therapy Center.
“It was about the simplest thing I have ever done,” Randy said. “The staff were like family; they were great.”
After wrapping up his daily proton therapy treatments in the spring of 2025, Randy has had time to reflect on his experience, and it has left him with a deep sense of gratitude.
“If it wasn’t for a doctor catching those PSA numbers going up, or that biopsy, I don’ think they would have caught it until it was too late,” Randy said.
To learn more about the McLaren Proton Therapy Center in Flint, visit mclaren.org/protontherapy or call 855 MY PROTON (697-7686).