But after only five sessions of radiation therapy over a two-week period, Remy rang the bell at City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center to celebrate successfully completing his treatment.
“It was a surprisingly simple process, and I was expecting it to be a lot different,” he said. “I had talked to some of my friends that had dealt with prostate cancer as well, and they had had difficult experiences — they were treated 15 years ago, 20 years ago. But today’s cancer science and technology is light-years ahead.”
Leading-edge radiation oncology
City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center is home to some of the nation’s best minds – and most innovative technologies – in radiation oncology.
Remy describes his radiation treatment as similar to getting an MRI, with the added comfort that his head was able to remain outside the machine.
The radiation oncology team would scan his body, precisely measuring his anatomy in order to map the specific course of radiation for the session. “Maybe my bladder would be in a slightly different configuration that day, and the scans gave my physician the ability to adapt to that,” Remy said. In addition, the advanced technology made it possible for Remy to complete each session and be on his way home in less than an hour.
Renowned cancer expertise, compassionate care
In May 2023, a routine blood test Remy had taken came back with a dramatically elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, which is a marker for prostate cancer. His primary care doctor referred him to Jeffrey S. Yoshida, M.D., a renowned urologic surgeon and the medical director of urologic surgery at City of Hope Orange County.
Remy felt immediately reassured when he arrived at City of Hope’s Irvine cancer center. Yoshida clearly explained Remy’s diagnosis and made sure he understood the treatment options. Remy opted for radiation, and so Yoshida swiftly connected him to Percy Lee, M.D., Medical Director of Orange County & Coastal Region Radiation Oncology, City of Hope Orange County, and Vice Chair of Clinical Research, Department of Radiation Oncology, City of Hope.
Remy says the knowledgeable, compassionate care he received from both physicians at City of Hope Orange County was excellent, as was his whole experience there.
“From my first visit to City of Hope Orange County, I have been so impressed with the staff,” he said. “The initial diagnosis was a little scary, but everyone is so welcoming; when you show up for your appointments, everyone knows your name. They guided me through everything with clarity, transparency and caring.”
Grateful and supported
With his treatment successfully completed, Remy is moving forward with follow-up appointments to monitor his progress and enjoying life on Balboa Island, where he lives in the house his grandfather built in 1925. A former producer for “The Today Show” and publisher of the Catalina Islander newspaper, Remy now handles marketing for the Balboa Island Association and enjoys playing golf in his free time.
Remy encourages other men to be proactive when it comes to their prostate health and encourages them to seek care at a comprehensive cancer center like City of Hope Orange County if they are facing a diagnosis.
“Everyone I meet at City of Hope Orange County is exceptionally supportive,” he said. “They said, ‘You’ve got this,’ and when it comes to cancer, I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else.”
Orange County’s most advanced radiation therapy
City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center is the only location in Orange County to provide the three most innovative radiotherapy systems available.
- MRIdian
The MRIdian radiotherapy system targets complex tumors that may be difficult to treat with more traditional therapies.
To increase accuracy, MRIdian combines two technologies – real-time, diagnostic quality MRI capabilities with an advanced linear accelerator on a single platform. This combination allows targeting of tumors exactly where they are at any given moment, increasing radiation to cancer cells while decreasing risk of damage to healthy cells.
“MRIdian is unique because it combines two steps into one nearly real-time process,” Lee said
- Ethos by Varian
City of Hope is the first in Orange County to launch an Ethos adaptive radiation program.
The Ethos system leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and CT images obtained while the patient is in treatment to offer CT-guided adaptive radiation therapy that combines image-guided radiation with the ability to customize radiation therapy during treatment. TrueBeam by Varian
TrueBeam radiotherapy system provides a variety of treatment techniques to address a broad range of cancer cases. Technology integration enables clinicians to treat a wider array of cancer cases using a diverse range of radiation therapies.
Having multiple radiotherapy options ensures City of Hope Orange County radiation oncologists have a full toolkit from which to select the right therapy that works best for each patient’s cancer at the right time.
“The broad range of treatment technologies in our radiation oncology suite combined with quicker treatment times means our team can care for more patients each day, and patients with particularly challenging diagnoses can be treated in fewer treatment sessions,” said Lee.
First in research. First in treatment. First in survival. When it comes to cancer, it’s Hope First. To make an appointment at any of City of Hope’s Orange County locations, call 888-333-HOPE (4673).
