2 Central Florida men faced prostate cancer. Their treatments took very different paths.

Before every radiation treatment, Brent Cridge stopped at the chapel at AdventHealth Waterman. He prayed for his care team and for his treatment to go as it should.

Cridge, a 64-year-old Lake County resident, had felt fine when routine bloodwork showed an elevated prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, level. An MRI and biopsy later confirmed prostate cancer.

Suddenly, he had a decision to make.

Amado Valentin faced the same diagnosis - and the same uncertainty - but his path through treatment would look very different.

"You hear the word cancer and suddenly you have a lot of decisions to make," said Valentin, a 69-year-old Mount Dora resident. "I wanted to understand my options and choose what made the most sense for me."

Their experiences illustrate something physicians see regularly: Prostate cancer does not lead every patient to the same treatment.

Prostate cancer was the third most commonly diagnosed individual cancer at AdventHealth Waterman in 2024, according to the hospital's latest cancer registry data.

More than one in four Lake County residents is also 65 or older, an age group more likely to need prostate care. Against that backdrop, the hospital has been broadening the prostate care available locally.

In 2025, the hospital introduced Aquablation therapy for men with an enlarged prostate.

This year, Waterman became the first AdventHealth hospital to offer TULSA, an incision-free treatment that uses MRI and ultrasound technology to precisely treat patients with prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate.

Those technologies add to AdventHealth Waterman's existing urology, radiation oncology and nurse-navigation services, giving physicians more ways to tailor care to the individual patient.

"When we're able to offer a range of options here, it means people don't have to leave their community to get care that fits their situation," said Michael Fountain, DO, a urologist at AdventHealth Waterman.

The investments also reflect AdventHealth's role as a not-for-profit health system, reinvesting resources into patient care, technology and services that strengthen care in the community.

For Cridge, those options led in one direction. His cancer required treatment rather than monitoring alone.

AdventHealth Waterman radiation oncologist Shivam Kharod, MD, recommended radiation combined with hormone therapy based on the characteristics of his cancer and other considerations.

Cridge did not make the decision quickly or alone.

He talked through his options with Dr. Kharod and Dr. Fountain. Then he sought perspectives from a longtime friend who is a cardiac nurse and a family member with oncology experience.

"The physicians took the time to walk me through my options and answer my questions," Cridge said. "I felt like I had the information and support I needed to make the right decision for me."

He chose radiation with hormone therapy and has completed 20 radiation treatments. He continues hormone therapy.

His support extended beyond the treatment decision. Cridge credits AdventHealth Waterman oncology nurse navigator Nicole Lake with advocating for him throughout the process.

"When I was trying to understand the different treatment options, Nicole was someone I could turn to with questions or concerns," Cridge said. "She helped me understand the information I was getting and made sure I knew where to go when I needed answers. Having her there made the whole process easier to navigate."

His faith became another source of steadiness during treatment. Before radiation sessions, Cridge would stop at the hospital chapel to pray.

"I never worried or was terrified at any time during this," Cridge said. "My faith gave me peace through it all. I give God all the glory for that."

For Valentin, those options led in another direction.

Dr. Fountain determined that Valentin was a candidate for TULSA, the incision-free procedure Waterman began offering earlier this year.

"When they explained TULSA, I said, 'I'll try that, please,'" Valentin said. "I was scared because I didn't know what to expect, but the team made me feel really at ease."

He continues follow-up care but much of his everyday life has returned.

The retired veteran is back outside working in his yard, usually trying to finish his landscaping before the Florida afternoon heat settles in.

He and his wife also returned to traveling, including a trip to Puerto Rico.

"I'm continuing my normal activities now," he said.

"The goal isn't to have one treatment that works for every man," Dr. Fountain said. "It's to have enough options that we can look at the person in front of us, understand what he needs and help him choose a treatment that gives him the best chance to get back to the life he wants to live."

When should men talk about prostate cancer screening?

Neither Cridge nor Valentin had symptoms before testing led to his prostate cancer diagnosis.

Current American Urological Association guidance recommends considering PSA screening beginning at ages 45 to 50, or ages 40 to 45 for those at increased risk, including Black men and those with a strong family history.

Men should talk with their physician about their individual risk and whether screening is appropriate for them.