Adam Letts is the Andrew Love Cancer Centre’s first SABR prostate cancer patient

Positive thinking has proved a superpower for a Lethbridge grandfather who is facing his seventh cancer battle.

Lethbridge distiller Adam Letts is fighting cancer for a seventh time. Picture: Alan Barber.

A Lethbridge grandfather continues to live life with a smile despite being diagnosed with cancer for the seventh time.

Adam Letts was first diagnosed with thyroid cancer as a young dad aged just 30.

The 58-year-old was told at the time he “should” make it to 50.

“For my 50th birthday we had a mega party, I walked around with my (middle) finger in the air like, ‘screw you guys’,” he said.

He has also been diagnosed with and overcome skin cancer three times, a recurrence of thyroid cancer, and kidney cancer.

More recently, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Mr Letts became the first patient to receive high-precision stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) for prostate cancer at Barwon Health’s Andrew Love Cancer Centre, shortening his radiation treatment from 20-39 treatments to five.

Mr Letts said cancer treatment had come a long way since he was first diagnosed almost three decades ago.

During the SABR treatment, a linear accelerator machine rotates around the patient, delivering high-dose radiation with high precision to the prostate.

With the help of gold markers implanted into the prostate by the urology team, the radiation oncology team is able to track the prostate.

Associate Professor Wee Loon Ong and Adam Letts. Picture: Supplied.

“I’ve had surgery for cancers before, but this is the first time I have radiation treatment,” Mr Letts said.

“The treatment is directed at the prostate, while minimising radiation to the neighbouring organs.”

Mr Letts, a father of nine, said after discussing his treatment options, radiotherapy was

appealing because it would allow him to continue his active lifestyle, which includes riding motorcycles and running his business, Bluestone Distillery.

“My rule in life is ‘we’re here for a good time, not a long time’, so if I can stick around a little bit longer and have the quality of life that I’ve got now, it’s going to be so much better for my family,” he said.

“If you think really positively, you’ll get a long way in life.

“I’ve had cancer seven times now and was given my first death sentence 28 years ago, but I’m still going strong.

“l live with a smile.”

Mr Letts said he had no idea about the cancer history of his biological family because he was adopted.

“You’ve always got to be prepared for what’s around the corner,” he said.

Mr Letts is waiting to find out the outcome of the treatment, and said he “definitely” felt optimistic.

His prostate radiation oncologist, Associate Professor Wee Loon Ong, said the higher dose of radiation delivered through SABR allowed for fewer treatment visits over fewer weeks.

“Treating prostate cancer with as few as five treatments … is logistically a lot more convenient,” Prof Ong said.

“The cancer outcomes with SABR for intermediate risk prostate cancer is excellent with

approximately 95 per cent likelihood of cancer control at five years, according to international clinical trial data.

“There are multiple effective treatment options for prostate cancer.”

Originally published as Adam Letts is the Andrew Love Cancer Centre’s first SABR prostate cancer patient