For Scott White, 67, the Texas two-step comes naturally. Scott says his mother and stepfather were the smoothest dancers he ever saw. His mother owned a bar in Austin for 45 years, where the dance floor was open and country music filled the air, so Scott knew all the best moves.
“I love to dance, I love music, and I love to be around people,” he said.
Scott has lived in Georgetown for 34 years, a rare Austin native who returned after a brief stint in Alabama during his teenage years. He has always been an active man, golfing and cycling whenever he can, in addition to keeping up with three grandsons.
2023 was a hard year for Scott. On March 4, he had “four mini-strokes at one time,” caused by atrial fibrillation (AFib); shortly after, he underwent a heart ablation to treat his AFib. The treatment made Scott feel “better than he had in years.” His daughter was then hospitalized in July with a rare disease, so he dropped everything to help her recover.
Despite Scott’s successful heart treatment, one morning in July, he woke up and wasn’t feeling well. He was experiencing some unusual urological symptoms.
His recent family health scares moved him to schedule his first physical in five years with his primary care physician. His doctor did a PSA test, the typical screening test for prostate cancer, which came back elevated. An MRI was taken on August 25, and on October 30, a review of the results revealed a diagnosis of stage III prostate cancer.
‘Started treatment with optimism and hope’
Scott remembers being shocked and having lots of questions upon diagnosis, but he was ready to jump into treatment and was grateful his cancer was caught before it spread to other parts of his body. “You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do,” he thought. “Whatever it is, let’s fix it.”
urologist at Texas Urology Specialists–Austin,
Georgetown and Round Rock
His primary care physician referred him to Lawrence Tsai, M.D., urologist at Texas Urology Specialists–Austin, Georgetown and Round Rock, who presented both surgery and radiation as treatment options. After the two discussed his options in greater detail, Scott chose radiation.
“Scott is attentive and takes ownership of his care and health. He is very collaborative, and our relationship embodies the synergistic doctor-patient model,” said Dr. Tsai.
In November 2023, Scott started 45 rounds of radiation treatment with Michael Herman, M.D., radiation oncologist at Texas Oncology–Austin North Radiation Oncology and Round Rock.
radiation oncologist at Texas Oncology–
Austin North Radiation Oncology and Round Rock
“Mr. White was diagnosed with stage III prostate cancer, a high-risk prostate cancer. After he completed his staging workup, he pursued definitive treatment with hormone therapy and external beam radiation,” Dr. Herman said of Scott’s treatment plan.
Despite undergoing radiation five days a week for nine weeks, “Mr. White had a great attitude from day one,” said Dr. Herman. “He spent time gathering information and asking the right questions. He started treatment with optimism and hope.”
Learning patience and having grace for your body during cancer
Scott’s prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment only added to the strain on his body he’d been feeling since the heart ablation in early 2023. His heart problems caused him to fall short of breath much faster than before; he could no longer go on 40- to 60-mile bike tours like he used to, instead reaching exhaustion after just five or six.
“I’m a pusher, I push myself. Not being able to exercise to my fullest really took a toll on me mentally,” Scott said. “My doctors told me it would take time to feel like my old self again, but I’m impatient!”
Scott says that his cancer diagnosis taught him to have patience with his body, and that the support he received during treatment revealed to him just how blessed he really is.
“All my friends would text and call me constantly, and they were so supportive it was unbelievable. My family was there no matter what – even though my daughter lives far away in Fort Worth, she would be there in a matter of hours if I needed her. It got me through my treatments with a lot more comfort.”
And according to Dr. Herman, Scott reciprocated the support he received to his fellow patients in the waiting room. “Mr. White took the time to get to know other patients in treatment. The relationships with the other patients helped everyone during these challenging times,” said Dr. Herman.
Scott also expressed gratitude for his Texas Oncology care team. “These people are fantastic and so friendly. The people at Texas Oncology treated me like gold during my radiation visits.”
‘I look at life differently now’
Today, six months after finishing his radiation treatments, Scott has no evidence of cancer in his body, and his latest PSA test came back near zero. “He is being monitored and considered in remission,” Dr. Tsai said. “He is recovering well from this therapy.”
Scott has one message for anyone who hears his story: Get your physical. Early detection of cancer can make a world of difference.
“I ask all my friends whether they’ve gotten theirs yet, and if not, I tell them to please go do that. Men are stubborn! We take things for granted. But once you have this, you look at life differently. You need to take care of your body.”
Now, Scott says he’s focused on continuing the physically active hobbies he loves; he’s joined a fitness club where he goes a few times a week and golfs once a week. He looks forward to dusting off his cowboy boots and getting back on the dance floor, too.
In 2024, Texas is expected to have17,864 new cases of prostate cancer and 2,425 deaths. For more information, visit TexasOncology.com.