For Immediate Release
June 20, 2008
Contact:  Nathan Flood
Chief of Staff
717-627-0036
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Senator Mike Brubaker Health Update

Lititz, PA – Pennsylvania State Senator Michael Brubaker (36th District) was diagnosed during March 2008 with prostate cancer, an affliction that is annually identified in 218,890 American men, according to the National Cancer Institute.

The disease was initially detected through PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) testing during the 50-year-old Senator's routine annual physical.  Although he exhibited no symptoms of the disease, a repeat PSA test was administered for confirmation. That second assessment proved negative, but inconclusive. It was determined to conduct biopsy testing of 12 separate tissue samples. A very small amount of cancer was discovered on one sample.

Additional examinations were made to determine if Senator Brubaker's cancer had spread beyond the prostate. On April 1, all tests proved conclusively that the cancer had not spread beyond the prostate.

On June 6, Senator Brubaker consulted with his doctor, Dr. David Lee, M.D., Chief of the Division of Urology at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.  Dr. Lee's evaluation was extremely optimistic, stating that Senator Brubaker has the most minor amount of cancer detectable in the prostate gland.  The cancer is slow growing and has not spread.

Among the many treatment options to alleviate prostate cancer, Senator Brubaker, in consultation with Dr. Lee, elected the da Vinci prostatectomy surgery as the viable option.  Da Vinci prostatectomy is a robot-assisted, minimally invasive surgery that is the preferred treatment for removal of the prostate following early diagnosis of prostate cancer.

The surgery is planned to take place while the Senate is in recess. It is expected that Senator Brubaker will be hospitalized for 24 to 48 hours, followed by a one-week recovery period at home and another week of limited duty.  No radiation or chemotherapy is required. 

Senator Brubaker plans to attend to Senate business from his home during the week-long recovery period. He expects to retain his perfect floor voting record as the Senate will not be in session during his recovery.

Senator Brubaker, his wife Cindy and their three children are completely optimistic about the outcome.

"There are two things that I've learned as a result of contracting this disease," Senator Brubaker said. "First, it is impossible to overstate the importance of an annual physical for men 45 and over. I had no symptoms of the disease, and still don't. I feel fine, but the disease is still there. Thankfully, because of my annual physical, my cancer was caught very early and we have every reason to expect a complete recovery.

The second thing is that I continue to be overwhelmed by the kindness and concern shown by the people of the 36th Senatorial District. I cannot express how much my family and I have relied on their prayers and caring words during these past months."