After weeks of research, doctor's appointments and tests, I decided to
get the RRP.  My surgery is scheduled for July 27 at Sloan-Kettering.
It will be performed by Dr James Eastham.

I fully believe that any choice I made (surgery or radiation) would
have had equal curative value -- very high, in my case.  I decided to
make my decision on other factors.

- I like the fact that I will know soon after the surgery where I
stand, whether the surgery got it all, whether the nerves were spared
(likely), whether there was any escape from the capsule (not so
likely), whether any additional treatment is necessary.

- Permanent severe incontinence, at my age, is not likely.  This was
the major drawback of surgery vs radiation.

- On the other hand, I wasn't too happy with the risk of having the
opposite problem from prostate swelling as the result of radiation.
My flow rate is already poor.  Of course, this might not have
happened, but I saw this as a decision about what I was willing to
risk or tolerate.

- The doctors at MSKCC start working on impotence right away.  In
fact, I have volunteered for a clinical trial that may improve my
chances for post-surgical erectile function.  My sense was that
impotence was also a risk with radiation, but that it wouldn't show up
for some time.

My thanks to everyone who answered my posts, and emailed me, offering
your advice and personal experiences.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Age 46
PSA: 1.4 (12/2000), 2.0 (7/2002), 10.3 (3/2/04), 6.0 (retest 3/18/04)
Biopsy 4/5/04 cancer in 10% of one core
Gleason 6 (3+3); clinical stage T1c
Bone Scan negative