Prostate Cancer Blog – Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer

In 2006 when Bob Marckini published his book, You Can Beat Prostate Cancer, and You Don’t Need Surgery to Do It, I said:

I found Loma Linda and Proton treatment by “Blind Luck”. Bob removes the blinders and offers sound advice for those who hear the dreaded “cancer” word.

After treatment in 1999, I decided to tell anyone who would listen about both my experience and the experiences of others I met who were treated with “Protons”. I also sought where possible provide responses from others who chose “Protons”.

Bob Marckini deserves the highest accolades for his dedication to providing advice and his continuing research to verify any responses he provides. I suggest you read his book now!

So at 83 I can say that my experience has been amazing and successful. And as 84 approaches, I expect to continue looking at the number of “Proton” facilities that have been built in the US and in other countries and read their reports when possible.

I regret the recent loss of “Ken Venturi” as a friend, and miss his advice both as a professional golfer and Proton advocate.

Thank you for reading. Take a look at the many “Videos” on this site – I always learn a lot from them.

In my June 26, 2012 blog, “PSA Test is the answer for now!” I suggested that PSA testing was important.

The NATIONAL PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS MONTH brings us FOX Channel’s doctors under the title “House call with Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld” on TV program that aired September 16, 2012. The two doctors discussed PSA testing and emphasized “DIAGNOSE EARLY“ and the important role that PSA testing plays.

Loma Linda’s Proton facility filled in the blanks and now that they have over 11,745 patients treated at their Proton facility for prostate cancer alone it might be a good idea to get a proton expert at Loma Linda in on the conversation that to me seems widely “income oriented” rather than finding the best tests and treatment for men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Bob Marckini, my close friend, has a widely read book You Can Beat Prostate Cancer And You Don’t Need Surgery To Do It. This is a valuable book and when Bob finishes his new book it will expand your knowledge.

Go to this page (click here) and watch the videos – you will learn a lot about Protons and Loma Linda and can apply much of what you learn to the new “Proton Treatment Centers” that have come on line to date.

The remarkable “Protons” are here to stay and PSA tests will help you decide when to take control and get this treatment!

What a great Christmas gift to be cancer free at the start of 2009 when in August 2009 I will complete ten cancer free years.

Dr. Hanson’s book “The Edge Of Medicine” has so many of my tabs in it that I’ve had to color code them for my personal priorities. His enthusiasm for the new Roberts Proton Therapy Center, in the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine at the Hospital for the University of Pennsylvania is exciting and reflects the growing truths about this wonderful medical capability.

His statement: “In fact, one of the advantages of proton therapy over standard x-rays is that the proton beam’s radiation so thoroughly ravages the tumor’s DNA that it’s ordinary repair mechanisms are completely ineffective.” My information from Loma Linda is that the proton hits the cancer cell hard and destroys it’s DNA. The result is that the DNA ladder reconstructs with a normal non-cancerous cell.

My trip last month to Loma Linda was re-assuring as they continue to expand the uses of the Proton and lead the way in experience with patients treated.

My key point is related to my experience –
– I do not have prostate cancer.
– I do not have any side effects.
– My current PSA is 0.1

ASK your doctor about Protons and if he doesn’t know about them contact me and I’ll insure that you get an answer from someone who does know and has the information so you can make your own choice.

Protons are the best choice for medical treatment I have ever made in my life!

Jim Tuggey
December 26, 2008

I think the University of Florida, Proton Institute has it right when they say, “Welcome to the Proton Era, HARDER on cancer. EASIER on you.” My PSA Nov. 28, 2006 is less than 0.2, and with no side effects, it’s surely easier!

Dr. Stephen B. Strum, MD’s and Donna Pogliano’s book A Primer on Prostate Cancer second edition, is a great reference and by reputation, Dr. Strum is probably the leading specialist in managing Prostate Cancer “relapse”.

This book mentions “Proton Treatment” but is out of date since there is in fact a “peer reviewed” fifteen year report available and, there are now five operating “Proton Centers” with Bloomington, Indiana’s Midwest Radio Therapy Center, M.D. Anderson in Houston and in my last “Blog” entry, the University of Florida’s Proton Institute in Jacksonville, Florida, joining the well established Loma Linda Proton Treatment Center. Also the new Francis H. Burr Proton Therapy Center that draws on experience in the use of Protons dating back to 1961, when Harvard Medical Center and Mass General Hospital collaborated in using Protons.

I read and re-read his Appendix A through C and found them to be wonderful references, web sites etc., and have visited many. The lead-in to Chapter F they say, “The facts ma’am, just the facts”, a great point and combined with the need for a second opinion on your condition, I would say crucial to your decision on a treatment regimen.

The author’s have a difference of opinion on “Invasive”, my definition is anything that physically pokes a hole in you as in Prostate Surgery of any kind, and Brachytherapy is invasive, and Protons that do not cut the external protective layer called skin, I define as non-invasive. Back to my point in an earlier blog entry, why do anything invasive when the proton is non-invasive.

My facts are simple, seven years and three months since completion of Proton treatment and today December 1, 2006, NO Side Effects!

I’m glad Dr. Walsh did not publish this particular book until after I had already completed Proton Radiation for Prostate Cancer at Loma Linda. He sells Radical Prostatectomy.
This is a very informative book copyright 2001, makes some great points for all men diagnosed with Prostate Cancer ie;
1. Educate yourself, especially about doctors who treat Prostate Cancer.
2. On page 183 points out two points of view; surgery vis a vis watchful
waiting.
3. Importance of “Diet” – Asian men are at low risk “until they move to the
United States.” Explains some of the reasons why diet is so important!
4. Dr. Walsh’s first “nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy, was on April 26,
1982 and from this baseline explains what to look for in a Surgeon. “Often”
is one of his key words – a surgeon that does this particular surgery several
days a week.
5. He suggests getting a second opinion and finally;
Even he has a clear disclaimer to start the book.

Lots of detailed, good information that generally ignores the Proton, (word “proton” minor mention in the index), indicating that someone failed to do some easy research by talking to the professionals at Loma Linda. By the time this book was published Loma Linda had almost “Ten years” of experience with the Proton and now they have “Fifteen”.
Dr. Walsh’s book (462 pages) speaks of Radical Prostatectomy as the “gold standard” for survival however, from my point of view, I had NO INVASION, AND GOLD STANDARD RESULTS.

Jim Tuggey
Nov. 21, 2005

OK. On my way to and from Alaska last week, in flight I read Dr. Scardino’s Prostate Book – twice. Below are my opinions based upon my personal experiences and observations. Published in 2005 it is full of useful information, however it is incomplete!

Dr. Scardino admits in his book that refers often to Memorial Sloan-Kettering treatments, as he says, “doctors tend to be biased in favor of what they do.”

It appears from the text in the book that Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s distinguished urologists and radiation doctors have not thoroughly studied the advantages of Protons. I believe if they had met with Drs. James M. Slater, the founder of Proton Therapy at Loma Linda or Jerry Slater, the Chairman of the Proton Treatment center at Loma Linda they may have provided more information on Protons. This superior Proton therapy is barely and incorrectly acknowledged on less than a page in a 425 page book.

Doctors JAMES & JERRY Slater at Loma Linda and their colleagues are the world leaders in the use of Protons to treat Prostate cancer and in addition many other tumors both malignant and benign.

This is a correctable research failure, I speak as one of the 7,000 men treated with Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer at Loma Linda in 1999. In my case, I have none of the side effects described in the “Prostate Book”, over 5 years and 9 months post treatment completed on August 27, 1999.

Further, if you only consider options for Prostate Cancer described in the ”Prostate Book” you must logically conclude that the centers linked on my web site www.prostateproton.com are lesser effective options. I don’t think so. With Loma Linda in California, Mass. General in Boston, and MPRI in Bloomington, Indiana currently functioning, and with The RINECKER PROTON TREATMENT CENTER IN MUNICH, GERMANY IN START-UP, MD Anderson (Read the current June 2005 Fortune Magazine) opening their Proton Center in January 2006, Shands Cancer in Jacksonville IN JULY 2006, and others (UNIV. OF PENN, COLUMBIA PRESBYTERIAN, ETC. ALONG WITH SEVENTEEN MORE AROUND THE WORLD), PROTON THERAPY IS CLEARLY A TECHNOLOGY WHOSE TIME HAS COME.

Contrary to what is written in the Prostate Book, page 305, Proton therapy is not “Extraordinarily cumbersome” but elegant and simple. I have studied everything Loma Linda experts have said and do not find so called ”extravagant claims” and wonder why the researchers for the book did not find the published papers that clearly state the efficacy of Proton Therapy, in fact there are 5, 7, and 10 year studies.

While I do not have any side effects, I am sure that depending on each individual physical condition and medical history on entering the program that results can vary. Thirty men that I specifically sponsor, none have any side effects except some who have minor ED and they are over 80 years old.

I urge a meeting between Doctors Scardino, Fuks, Zelefsky and Leibel and Loma Linda Drs. James. M. Slater, Jerry Slater and the doctor who treated me, Dr. Carl Rossi Jr., so the MSK can expand their radiation thinking and recognize that IMRT is X-Ray/PHOTON treatment without a significant track record, and Protons are not X-rays and have A COMPREHENSIVE, HALF CENTURY OF DATA.

Further, I believe that by mid-fall a protocol should be established to run similar patients side by side who have IMRT and Protons with a target five year and ten year results with a minimum of 1,500 patients in each discipline. I am sure that Protons will hold their own and prove convincingly that there are fewer side effects with this therapy.

”The Prostate Book” is a very informative book, clarifies many rumors and tales about the prostate and urges an extremely important second opinion.

It is very weak on the subject of Proton Therapy but of course, that is not what the book is selling!

My hope is that my suggestions are accepted and that Dr. Scardino will offer these additional thoughts on his web sites at www.drscardino.com or www.theprostatebook.com.

This link was provided to me by Bill Vancil – read the various reviews and keep a airline “sick sack” nearby. Bill Vancil will be interviewed very soon on Protons. I guess I’ll have to buy a used book in about a year to see what the good Dr. said.