Quincy Mayor John Spring has completed about a third of his cancer treatments.

He announced back in January that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

The mayor decided to take his diagnosis and turn it into something positive - a chance to educate the public on cancer and treatment.

He was gracious enough to let us follow him through one of his treatments last week.

On most days, you can find Mayor John Spring at his office inside Quincy City Hall, but this is not where he starts his day.  Every weekday morning, the mayor goes to the Blessing Cancer Center for radiation therapy. It's only about a half-hour out of his day...time that could save his life. The actual treatment takes about 15 minutes, and that includes getting set up. Before he began treatment, a mold was made of the position in which he should lie on the table. That way the radiation is directed only at the areas that need the radiation. 

"Most patients don't experience any pain at all," says Dr. Mark Khil.

"You realize these things are part of your life and you deal with them. I've been blessed with good doctors and wonderful people here at the Blessing Cancer Center," says John Spring.

Mayor Spring also wants to use his diagnosis to stress the importance of annual exams for men and women. Had he not had an annual exam last December, there's a good chance his cancer might not have been caught. Every year, about 200 thousand men are diagnosed with prostate cancer.

"Out of this 200,000, the death rate is almost 30 to 40,000. Prostate cancer is the most common in men, and leading cause of death after lung and colorectal cancer," says Dr. Khil.

There are several treatment options for prostate cancer, including surgery and radiation. It just so happens that Mayor Spring was a good candidate for radiation therapy. He says the treatment of the disease is painless. Other patients have told the mayor they could feel it, but he doesn't.

"I won't kid anybody. It's not something I love to do each day, but if you're positive about things, this is an experience you don't have to fear," says Spring.

As for side effects...

"I've had some discomfort and other things associated with this. By and large, I've done just fine with it. I continue to work full time. I continue to work out like I always have," says Mayor Spring.

After this treatment, Spring spoke with the radiation oncologist who told him his progress has been good.

"I'm thrilled with that," says Spring.

Some signs of prostate cancer include difficulty passing fluid, frequent urination, a burning sensation that wakes you up at night, an urgency to go to the bathroom, and blood in the urine.

If you have any of those symptoms, you should see your doctor right away.

For more on prostate cancer, visit http://www.prostatecancerfoundation.org/