Howard Wolinsky used tp be a mild-mannered reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times. He was the paper&#8217;s medical editor for almost 25 years.
In 2010, his PSA started to rise (still under 4), and his nervous internist sent him off to see a community urologist. The doctor did a transrectal biopsy and found a single core of Gleason 6 cancer. It was 1 mm. The doctor said: &#8220;I have good news and bad news for you. You have cancer.&#8221; A sigh. He did not mention low-risk cancer. What about the good news? &#8220;I can cure your cancer my OR next Tuesday&#8221;.
Howard asked about this new prostate cancer management approach: Active surveillance. &#8220;I don&#8217;t support that modality,&#8221; urologist #1 said. Howard got a second opinion at the University of Chicago where urologist #2 said: &#8220;You&#8217;re the poster boy for active surveillance&#8221;.
This led to a journalist becoming an accidental activist and patient advocate. Howard became involved in starting support and education groups for men on Active Surveillance, creating a video series known as AS 101 to help men who are struggling with their new prostate cancer diagnosis, work with physicians on AS research, and stated a Substack newsletter TheActiveSurveillor.com. He is working on his MPH at the University of Illinois. Howard was nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize and has written three books, including two exposes on the AMA and the best seller &#8220;Healthcare Online for Dummies&#8221;.