"I heard a lot of their stories about prostate surgeries and the after affects. I was surprised that many of them never thought to question their doctors and get a second opinion."

Boeving''s physician recommended the use of radiation seeds to fight his cancer, and as grandfather to a five year-old, he was nervous about exposing his grandson. "And the idea of a radical prostatectomy down the road scared me to death," says Boeving.

Not wanting to wait, but in need of a second opinion, Boeving asked his wife to check the internet about a minimally invasive procedure he heard about called laparoscopic surgery.

"Her research turned up only a handful of hospitals," he says, "and Barnes-Jewish was one of the few."

The minimally invasive, or laparoscopic, prostatectomy replaces the previous large incisions with a series of pencil-sized incisions. This nerve-sparing technique has enhanced erectile function after surgery and allows a shorter recovery time.

The benefits led Boeving to schedule an appointment with Gerald L. Andriole Jr., MD, chief of urology at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine.

"Within two weeks I was back to my barbershop, and within a month my friends wanted to have surgery too because I was bowling 240 almost every night," says Boeving.

"Now it turns out three of my buddies need prostate surgery," says Boeving. "I''ve sent them all Dr. Andriole''s way."