Facing the diagnosis with serenity and confidence
Gianluca’s story
The story of Gianluca, 51, is a valuable testimony for many men. A tale full of awareness, courage and confidence that can help those facing a difficult diagnosis feel less alone. For this very reason, Gianluca chose to share his path us.
It all started almost by accident, with a simple blood test. The PSA value was surprisingly high. From there, a visit to the referring urologist, further testing, an MRI, and finally a biopsy performed at a hospital in his area.
The result left little doubt: prostate cancer.
“It was like receiving a brick in the head,” Gianluca recalls. “But from the next day I realized that the only way was to rely on serious professionals. The head does so much when you face a condition like this.”
Driven by a desire to find a specialized center, he was recommended the Candiolo IRCCS. He did not know him, but the suggestion that came from the doctors who had followed him there convinced him to turn to us. From the first contact, something struck him: “I scheduled my first visit to CAS, and after a few days I was already there. CT and PET scans scheduled within a week. An organization I had never seen.”
Once the tests were completed, he was presented with two options: radiation therapy or surgery. Gianluca chose surgery, following the advice of the medical team. The operation to remove the neoplasm and prostate, performed by theteam led by Prof. Francesco Porpiglia, was perfectly successful. Now the worst is over, and if the PSA remains at zero, or within the minimum threshold, no additional treatment will be needed.
At Candiolo, however, Gianluca found much more than a clear clinical pathway. He found humanity.
“From the very beginning, I perceived the centrality of the patient. I never had to worry about anything, not even the bureaucratic aspects. Everything is simple, everything is fluid. It’s a world where offices, doctors, nurses … communicate with each other in real time.”
And then there are those details that stick: “The look of a nurse in the hallway who recognizes you, even though she sees thousands of patients. Or the doctors I meet months later by chance in the elevator, who stop talking and take an immediate interest in how I’m doing. These are little things that stay with you, though.”
This journey, complex but approached with serenity, profoundly changed the way he looked at life.
“I realized what things are really important. Health, first of all. I’ve had to make important decisions and I’ve learned to give things the right weight. It sounds crazy, but until it happens to you you don’t realize how much it can really happen to anyone.”
Gianluca makes it clear: male prevention is still poorly perceived. “There is more stigma compared to female cancers. Many men avoid checkups or specialist visits. But prostate cancer is very slow to develop, and early detection literally saves lives. Screenings are critical.”
His message to other men is simple, direct and full of realism: “It is not an easy path, but it can be done. Fear is normal, but there is no need to dramatize. Life changes, yes, habits change, but with the support of the right professionals you can face everything and come out of it. My advice? Face the situation with serenity.”
