"If someone comes to Karmanos first and then goes to get a second opinion, they’re going to come back to Karmanos."
Terrell Thomas has always been a positive person. ‘Extraordinarily positive’ by his own declaration.
Thomas’s positive outlook early on carried him through law school and practice. He became a fitness instructor after losing more than 100 pounds. However, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and had to undergo treatment in early 2022.
Thomas’s diagnosis came as a surprise, but not necessarily a shock. As an African American male with a family history of his father, brother and uncles all having had prostate cancer, Thomas was at high risk of developing the disease. This knowledge and his drive to care for his health motivated Thomas to act proactively. One day in 2021, he was at the gym and decided he would seek out testing for prostate cancer. He admitted that he was one of those men who thought he could not be touched by illness because of his active lifestyle, so he had not been to a physician for quite some time. It was just something in him that day that led to the discovery.
“I didn’t have any symptoms. There wasn’t a trigger per se. I just thought, ‘I need to get this done,’” Thomas said.
The baseline age for a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test for prostate cancer is 45-50 years old. For African American males, testing can occur even earlier, as they are at higher risk of developing prostate cancer, particularly those with a strong family history, like Thomas.
He made an appointment at a local oncology center where a digital rectal examination and PSA test were performed. His PSA test, a blood test that measures the levels of PSA in the blood, revealed that Thomas had elevated levels, which could indicate the presence of prostate cancer.
Thomas said his PSA level was 7.1.
“The first doctor immediately recommended surgery. I just wasn’t comfortable with the advice that I was getting. I needed a second opinion. Soon, I had an appointment at Karmanos.”
A Second Opinion Charts a Way Forward
Thomas said he knew he would have a different experience at the Karmanos Cancer Center in Detroit.
“I just knew everything would work out,” he said.
The family atmosphere at Karmanos reassured him. In late 2021, he attended his second opinion appointment and examination with Michael Cher, M.D., urologic oncologist and member of the Genitourinary Oncology Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) at Karmanos. Dr. Cher ordered a biopsy, and a dozen samples were collected. Cancerous cells were present in one of the 12 samples.
Dr. Cher discussed all of Thomas’ treatment options, ranging from observation over time to radiation to surgery.
“Watching it wasn’t an option for me, and I didn’t want to have surgery because of the high chance of erectile dysfunction that comes with surgery,” Thomas said. “I chose to have radiation.”
A ‘Bromance’ is Born
Thomas’ radiation treatment at Karmanos was overseen by Nitin Vaishampayan, M.D., radiation oncologist and interim leader of the Genitourinary Oncology MDT. Thomas affectionately calls him Dr. V.
“I believe in modalities, energies and things like that. I think that the more positive you are, the better the outcomes. When I met Dr. V., that same energy was espoused from him,” Thomas explained.
Starting in February 2022, Thomas underwent six weeks of radiation treatment, Monday through Friday.
“So, at 7 a.m., I went down to Karmanos for radiation, left there and went to work. I never missed a day of work in those six weeks.”
Thomas credits Dr. Vaishampayan’s skill and care as the keys that helped him get through his treatment successfully.
“He is the best doctor I’ve ever had, not only from a skill set or a knowledge standpoint, but how he truly cares about patients.”
“It’s important to make sure patients are well informed about the advantages, disadvantages and potential side effects of their cancer treatment,” said Dr. Vaishampayan. “When I consult with a patient, I review in detail all of the different treatment options and listen to their questions and concerns to give them a balanced view of all the options.”
Over the course of his treatment and subsequent follow-ups, Thomas and Dr. Vaishampayan developed a special bond – a ‘bromance’ as Thomas calls it – thanks to Dr. Vaishampayan’s thorough oversight of his treatment and candor. Thomas calls Dr. Vaishampayan his brother, and in exchange, Dr. Vaishampayan said Thomas is ‘such a special man who lights up the room with his positive attitude.’
Professor, Fitness Instructor, Real Estate Expert, Advocate, and Champion
Today, Thomas is in remission. The Oak Park resident is a professor of political science, teaching African American studies and business law at Wayne County Community College, a fitness instructor and a real estate broker. Additionally, he is a vocal advocate and champion for prostate cancer screening and regular medical care.
He follows up with Dr. Vaishampayan every six months to check his status and see his friend. Thomas said he also encourages men, young and old, to be proactive about prostate screenings.
“A lot of men, when they get to a certain comfortable stage of life, just don’t want to learn anything that might disrupt their comfort. My thing is if you get a negative diagnosis, your comfort will be disrupted anyway, so you may as well go get checked out,” Thomas said.
“At Karmanos, they are not only people with M.D.s and RNs on their credentials. They are people who care. If someone comes to Karmanos first and then goes to get a second opinion, they’re going to come back to Karmanos. I feel that strongly in my heart.”
If you’re diagnosed with cancer, it is important to understand all your options for treatment, including newly approved therapies and clinical trials. Your case will be assigned to a specialist who has dedicated their career to treating and researching your type of cancer. When patients get a second opinion at Karmanos, a team of physicians specializing in different treatment modalities reviews your case collaboratively and recommends your best options.
Call 1-800-KARMANOS to schedule a second opinion appointment and be seen by an oncologist in seven days, or visit karmanos.org/secondopinion to complete an online appointment request.