Bob McFadden of Upper Macungie Township used to write songs about history and politics.\u00a0These days, he\u2019s writing songs about beating cancer and how St. Luke\u2019s University Health Network doctors helped save his life.<\/p>\n
Bob, 71, was on the drug Erleada to treat prostate cancer. Because the drug also has side effects, St. Luke\u2019s urologist Frank Tamarkin, MD, and oncologist Heidar J. Albandar, MD, mandated regular blood tests.<\/p>\n
\u201cErleada is a cancer-treating medicine that has side effects we need to watch for,\u201d Dr. Albandar said. \u201cIt\u2019s a very good and effective treatment, but there can be serious side effects with the liver, the kidneys, blood sugar and cholesterol.\u201d<\/p>\n
This past spring, Bob\u2019s blood test came back with abnormally high cholesterol levels. A normal cholesterol level in a healthy individual is less than 200 mg\/dL, borderline is up to 239, and high is above 240.<\/p>\n
\u201cMine was around 385,\u201d Bob recalled.<\/p>\n
High cholesterol is a major contributor to heart disease, so Dr. Albandar referred Bob to Michael McCulloch, MD, a St. Luke\u2019s cardio-oncologist.<\/p>\n
A cardio-oncologist is someone who has expertise in heart toxicities that can emerge because of certain cancer therapies. The cardio-oncology program at St. Luke\u2019s\u00a0is specifically designed to help patients deal with the effects that cancer treatments may have on the heart.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome cancer therapies \u2013 in some patients \u2013 can increase the risk for heart disease,\u201d Dr. McCulloch explained. \u201cBeing aware of that kind of correlation helps you determine when patients need to be followed more closely or need screening to be done.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bob\u2019s attitude was incredibly positive throughout his treatment, but he\u2019s a special kind of person. He\u2019s got a degree in history from Rutgers University, served as a distribution manager at McGaw and B Braun, played softball until he was 67 when a torn rotator cuff ended that activity, is in a band called Et2Brut\u00e9, and just absolutely loves life. He is a frequent contributor to Letters to the Editor in The Morning Call. And he\u2019s also a huge San Francisco Giants fan.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Dr. McCulloch saw me for the\u00a0 first time, the first thing he said to me was that I was a walking time bomb,\u201d Bob said.<\/p>\n
Dr. McCulloch put Bob on Crestor, a cholesterol lowering medication that blocks an\u00a0 enzyme in the liver, causing it to make less cholesterol, as well as increase the breakdown of cholesterol already in the blood.<\/p>\n
But Dr. McCulloch didn\u2019t take a drug therapy-only approach. He referred Bob to a dietician, to improve his diet. Bob quit smoking and increased his activity level with frequent and longer walking.<\/p>\n
Along the way, Bob also ended up with bladder cancer, for which he had successful surgery.<\/p>\n
\u201cStrike One was prostate cancer,\u201d Bob said. \u201cStrike Two was when it went to Stage 4, and then unbelievably my cholesterol went through the roof, and then to top it all off, bladder cancer.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s disappointing to find out you have these diseases, but I’ve felt fine the entire time. The doctors and teams at St. Luke\u2019s saved my life several times over. I couldn\u2019t be happier with the way I went from doctor-to-doctor seamlessly. I\u2019m in great hands at St. Luke\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
About St. Luke\u2019s<\/strong><\/p>\n Founded in 1872,\u00a0St. Luke\u2019s University Health Network<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0(SLUHN) is a fully integrated, regional, non-profit network of more than 20,000 employees providing services at 15 campuses and 300+ outpatient sites.\u00a0 With annual net revenue of $3.4 billion, the Network\u2019s service area includes 11 counties in two states: Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Montgomery, Monroe, Schuylkill and Luzerne counties in Pennsylvania and Warren and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey. St. Luke\u2019s hospitals operate the largest network of trauma centers in Pennsylvania, with the Bethlehem Campus being home to St. Luke\u2019s Children\u2019s Hospital.<\/p>\n Dedicated to advancing medical education, St. Luke\u2019s is the preeminent teaching hospital in central-eastern Pennsylvania.\u00a0 In partnership with Temple University, the Network established the Lehigh Valley\u2019s first and only four-year medical school campus.\u00a0 It also operates the nation\u2019s longest continuously operating School of Nursing, established in 1884, and 45 fully accredited graduate medical educational programs with more than 400 residents and fellows. In 2022, St. Luke\u2019s, a member of the Children\u2019s Hospital Association, opened the Lehigh Valley\u2019s first and only free-standing facility dedicated entirely to kids.<\/p>\n SLUHN is the only Lehigh Valley-based health care system to earn Medicare\u2019s\u00a0five-star<\/em>\u00a0ratings (the highest) for quality, efficiency and patient satisfaction.\u00a0 It is both a Leapfrog Group and Healthgrades\u00a0Top Hospital<\/em>\u00a0and a Newsweek World\u2019s\u00a0Best Hospital<\/em>.\u00a0 The Network\u2019s flagship University Hospital has earned the\u00a0100 Top Major Teaching Hospital<\/em>\u00a0designation from Fortune\/Merative 11 times total and eight years in a row, including in 2023 when it was identified as THE #4 TEACHING HOSPITAL IN THE COUNTRY.\u00a0 In 2021, St. Luke\u2019s was identified as one of the\u00a015 Top Health Systems<\/em>\u00a0nationally.\u00a0 Utilizing the Epic electronic medical record (EMR) system for both inpatient and outpatient services, the Network is a multi-year recipient of the\u00a0Most Wired<\/em>\u00a0award recognizing the breadth of the SLUHN\u2019s information technology applications such as telehealth, online scheduling and online pricing information. \u00a0The Network is also recognized as one of the state\u2019s lowest cost providers.<\/p>\n Information provided to TVL by: Bob McFadden of Upper Macungie Township used to write songs about history and politics.\u00a0These days, he\u2019s writing songs about beating cancer and how St. Luke\u2019s University Health Network doctors helped … Continue reading Coordinating Heart and Cancer Care<\/span>
\nSam Kennedy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"