In 1990, after almost 20 years of research, Loma Linda University Medical Center, in cooperation with Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and the Proton Therapy Cooperative Group, opened the world's first hospital-based proton-beam accelerator dedicated to the treatment of patients with cancer. Though not a cure for all forms of cancer, it has become a major advancement in the treatment of "localized cancer," a malignant tumor that is still in its original site and has not yet spread throughout the body.
Today 11 (9 US, 2 international...NCC Seoul and Rinicker Center Munich) centers are recognized as destinations for proton beam therapy for treatment. Read more here at the National Proton Therapy Organization. 7 centers are now in construction or development within the US. Over 90,000 have been treated with proton beam therapy. There are many support white papers and 15 year clinical studies published in support of proton (you will find most here on this blog). Most insurance carries approve this FDA approved treatment. If not insured you will find some US centers with a cash out of pocket program or travel abroad to NCC Seoul or Rinicher Center for affordable treatment costs.
If you have discovered PBT you are fortunate and have taken charge of your treatment decsion. Please read the many posts here. This may just give you a peace of mind in your cancer journey. Best of health to all!
Thanks, Curtis, for continuing to try to spread the word. I have experienced a lot of frustration and amazement that Protons Beam Therapy is so unknown and underutilized.
ReplyDeleteOver the last 4 years I've had the opportunity to refer a dozen or so patients to various proton centers. I've only had one guy fail to qualify. His hips were too wide and the thinking was that gamma radiation would serve him better. Every one else sailed through and is now enjoying great health benefits with no post treatment problems. So fine.
What bothers me is the other dozen or so I've told about protons who have chosen to go through either surgery or gamma radiation without even checking the therapy out. Come on guys! Do yourself a favor (and wifey too). Of course most of them have done okay in terms of their PSAs. But, otherwise, not so great.
Here's my last non-proton prostate cancer story. A pretty good friend and long term dental patient of mine was diagnosed at age 55 about 6 months ago. PSA was about 6.5 and fairly quickly climbed into the 8 range. Biopsy +. Gleason score 6. The urologist recommended prostatectomy.
So I talked to him about protons, seeds, gamma and so forth and told him of all the options I would choose surgery LAST but that was up to him and to do his own due diligence. Which he did. His conclusion: robotic surgery. It sounded so new and tecky. Don't kid yourself. Surgery is surgery, robotic or not.
His surgery seemed to be a success . . . for the first day or two. Then the pain started and the fever and the blood in the urine. After being readmitted to the hospital on day 3 it was discovered that his ureter had come unattached from the bladder and he was filling his belly up with urine. He went into shock and was in critical care for a week after a second surgery to sew the ureter up correctly.
Overall he lost about 6 weeks of work, was in great pain and nearly died. Totally unnecessary.
It's hard to understand a 55 year old guy giving up his sexuality and putting himself in such overall danger. But I do know that sex is just not that big of a deal to some men, in spite of what we all say. One of my other patients who asked for advise frankly told me he'd be just as happy not having the burden anymore! He had surgery too and did fine, I might add. But so long Mr. Happy!
Well, at any rate, do enough research so that you really have a handle on the side-effect profiles of each pathway. You are actually choosing side effects, not success. All the procedures are equally successful at curing early prostate cancer.
So, even though I can't understand why some men choose what they choose, that doesn't matter. What matters is that you get it right for you and you alone. You're going to live with your consequences, not me and not your urologist!
For more discussion and information join the blog @http://www.protontherapy4prostatecancer.com
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DeleteProton Therapy is a New Cancer Treatment. Put simply, proton therapy promises better outcomes for patients undergoing cancer treatment, with the potential for fewer side effects.
ReplyDeleteProton Therapy
This will give new light for cancer patients. Prolonging life with less side effects
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