How to cite: Crawford ED. “Fireside Chat with Vic Lombardi.” February, 2026. Accessed Feb 2026. https://grandroundsinurology.com/fireside-chat-with-vic-lombardi/
Summary
In this fireside conversation with E. David Crawford, MD, Editor-in-Chief of Grand Rounds in Urology and Professor of Urology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, Vic Lombardi, a well-known sports broadcaster, offers a powerful, personal perspective on living with and managing aggressive prostate cancer. The conversation centers on patient decision-making, survivorship, and advocacy, offering insights that resonate with clinicians and patients alike.
Vic Lombardi recounts how his prostate cancer was diagnosed unexpectedly at age 49 after a routine physical that included his first prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. With no symptoms, no family history, and an active lifestyle, the diagnosis came as a shock. Biopsy revealed high-grade disease with Gleason scores of 9 and 10, prompting immediate surgical management with radical prostatectomy. He describes the surgery as relatively straightforward and recovery as manageable, including temporary urinary side effects.
For more than four years following surgery, his PSA remained undetectable. When biochemical recurrence occurred, Lombardi discusses the emotional impact of confronting cancer again and the importance of understanding recurrence risk from the outset. He describes careful deliberation between whole-pelvis radiation with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) versus targeted radiation. Ultimately, he chose targeted radiation to limited lesions identified on positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, prioritizing quality of life and the desire to defer ADT-related side effects.
Throughout the discussion, Lombardi emphasizes the role of early PSA testing, physical fitness, and muscle-strengthening exercise in coping with cancer treatment and recovery. He advocates strongly for men to undergo PSA screening earlier rather than later, framing false positives as preferable to delayed diagnosis of aggressive disease.
The conversation includes reflections on survivorship, family impact, advocacy, and the importance of openly discussing prostate cancer to reduce stigma. Lombardi underscores that living with cancer does not preclude a full, active life and that sharing personal stories can meaningfully influence early detection and outcomes for others.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Researcher-physician E. David Crawford, MD, has devoted his medical career to educating the public about men's health issues and finding effective techniques and procedures to address prostate cancer, the most common malignancy affecting men in the United States. He is currently a Professor of Urology and Jack A. Vickers Director of Prostate Research at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Crawford earned his MD from the University of Cincinnati and his postgraduate training, which included an internship and residency in Urology, at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. He subsequently completed a fellowship in Genitourinary Cancer at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Crawford is an internationally-recognized expert in benign prostate hypertrophy, urologic cancers, and, in particular, prostate cancer. He has conducted research in the treatment of advanced bladder cancer, metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate, hormone-refractory prostate cancer, and other areas of urological infections and malignancies.
