Louis Wilson – Life will carry on
A year after Louis Wilson had brachytherapy to treat prostate cancer, he underwent cryoablation to treat a newly diagnosed primary kidney cancer.
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Louis Wilson (74) and his wife, Pam, live in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal.
In February 2023, Louis was diagnosed with prostate cancer and treated with brachytherapy (where radioactive seeds are placed in the prostate gland). Louis says it did concern him when he heard the diagnosis but adds that prostate cancer is quite common in his circle of friends and all have had good results with brachytherapy and are in good health today, so this alleviated his worries.
The brachytherapy treatment was a success, however, during his six-month follow-up ultrasound in August 2023, a 20mm-sized tumour was found on his kidney.
“When I heard about the tumour on my kidney, my first concern was that the prostate cancer had spread. But the doctor reassured me that it wasn’t related to the prostate cancer; it could either be a cyst or another primary cancerous tumour,” Louis explains.
Kidney cancer diagnosis
The treatment approach was to observe the tumour with scans every three months. By the sixth month, the tumour had grown by 1mm, so Louis was sent for a CT scan and biopsy. The results indicated that the tumour was a new primary kidney cancer, but it was deemed as low aggressive.
With none of Louis’ friends having had kidney cancer, he had more apprehension of facing this journey. Thankfully, his wife, Pam, has been a great support to him.
“My wife doesn’t panic (unlike me) and we have taken every step together,” he says.
Three treatment options were proposed. The first option was having the kidney removed completely, but in discussion with the doctor it was decided that this wasn’t a favourable option.
The second option was surgical removal of the tumour with robotic surgery, but this would require having this procedure done in Johannesburg, and due to the tumour position, it could also result in removal of the whole kidney. The third option was a new technology: cryoablation, which is a procedure that freezes and destroys any abnormal tissue.
“My doctor explained that even though cryoablation was new, it had promising results, low risks, and I was a good candidate for it. So, after the discussion with him and my wife,
I opted for cryoablation as it was less invasive, and I would only have to travel to Durban to have the procedure at Life Entabeni Hospital. Plus, it was covered in full by my medical aid,” Louis explains.
“Obviously I was nervous, like anyone would be before a procedure. Though, when I was asked to sign a form declaring I couldn’t hold anyone responsible if anything went wrong, I questioned if I was a guinea pig. But I phoned my urologist who explained it was just a formality. The cryoablation team reassured me that everything would go fine, stating they have around 99% success rate.”
The cryoablation procedure
The day-visit procedure took place in February 2024 and Louis recalls it as a non-event. “The biggest preparation was my own mental prep. We went to the hospital, I was booked in and prepared for the procedure. It felt like we were all getting together for a braai or something; everyone was so happy which instilled a lot of confidence in me. The anaesthetist came and explained what he would be doing; I was put under general anaesthesia. The cryoablation took two hours. Once I woke up, I was discharged.”
Louis adds, “I had no pain going in and no pain coming out. Though, I was prescribed pain killers which I took. After the procedure, I was advised not to pick up anything for two weeks which I adhered to. But overall, I was feeling good.”
Louis is set to go for a follow-up appointment in six months’ time to check his kidney. Though he has had check-ups for his prostate and both times were all clear, with a bit of scar tissue that the doctor wasn’t concerned about. In September, Louis will have a CT scan to check his prostate and kidney.
Celebrating their 49th wedding anniversary
Since both procedures, Louis feels in good health and has carried on with his semi-retired life, running his own business. He is grateful that both the cancers were caught early and weren’t aggressive. “Life carries on and I will heed the advice from my doctors, that is all I can do. Both Pam and I are looking forward to celebrating our 49th wedding anniversary this year.”
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