Second Opinion Question

Hello again.

I went for my second opinion last week at Duke Medical in Durham North Carolina which, from what I understand is a top treatment center for prostate cancer and met with one of the teaching doctors/urology oncologists who has over 20 years experience and does 150 open radical prostectomies per year.

I also met with the medical oncologist and the radiology oncologists, but felt more comfortable with the urologist and am leaning towards surgery at this point due to the fact that I do not want hormone therapy.

Here's my numbers:

Staging: IIC-TIC N0M0

PSA: 3.93

Gleason Score: 4+3=7

PET Scan shows no metastesis and shows the cancer confined to the prostate.

I am still researching in an attempt to make an informed decision regarding what treatment is best for my situation, however there doesn't seem to be a lot of consensus among doctors and while I understand each case is different, it's frustrating to see so much disagreement since as patients, we seem to be the ones who are the ones at a disadvantage while trying to make an informed decision.

For example one of the books I've been reading is "Dr. Patrick Walsh's Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer" and on page 211 he talks about how far radical prostectamies have advanced in the past decade and how that if you have a skilled surgeon, younger men should retain potent and few should have serious problems with urinary control and goes on to say that "...radical prostectomy is the most certain way to cure men with cancer confined to the prostate"

So far, so good, however, I'm reading another book by Dr. Mark Scholz called "The Key to Prostate Cancer: 30 Experts Explain 15 Stages of Prostate Cancer" and Dr. Sholz doesn't agree that surgery is the best option and that cure rates among radiation and surgery treatment modalities are similar over time, although he does say on page 44 of his book that if "...you are in a position fo consult one of the top prostate cancer surgeons who perform hundreds of these complex and challenging surgeries each year, or unless you are able to travel to a major medical center, surgery is a really bad option" (emphasis mine)

I'm assuming here but I think Duke Med is probably considered a major medical center and my doctor likely would fall under the category of a top prostate cancer surgeon, but not entirely sure how I would go about verifying this information.

Again, for those of us who have been given the awful diagnosis of prostate cancer, It feels like I'm drowing in a sea of conflicting opinions, data and information among the experts I'm looking to for answers regarding the best possible treatment options and it's troubling and stressful.

Sorry for the rant.

Anyway I think there are three questions here:

1. Has anyone been to Duke Med for treatment, and if so what was your experience?
2. How can one view a doctor's ratings and/or talk to patients that have been treated by a specific doctor?
3. Should I seek out a second opinion on the biopsy pathology report?

Thanks in advance..

doug