Prostate Cancer Blog – Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer

I am sad to report the passing of Jim Tuggey – the founder of this website. He had a passion for getting the word out about Proton Therapy and treatment, and was relentless in his drive. He was also my Uncle and beloved family member. We will miss him. Bob Marckini, Bob’s daughter Deb Hickey, and I are all committed to continuing to carry out the mission, and so will continue to use this website as a vehicle for providing timely and relevant information about Protons. I am including Jim’s obituary below, which provides more information about his wonderful life. His three sons and extended family are in our thoughts.

Howard James (Jim) Tuggey, COL, USA (Ret) passed away April 16, 2019, in Grapevine, Texas. He was 89 years old. A native Texan, he served his country in both Korea and Vietnam, as a helicopter pilot, in a decorated military career spanning 29 years. After retiring to civilian life, he then worked and traveled the world, from Iran to Singapore and points between, in the helicopter business. He was an avid musician and performed with the Vocal Majority in the DFW area. He dearly loved and missed his late wife of 59 years, Janet L. Tuggey. He was a man of great faith and is survived by his three sons, nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Services on May 10, 2019, 11 am, at White Chapel Methodist Church In Southlake, Texas.

Tom Halsted has posted a very good summary on his experiences with being treated with Proton Therapy:

“Proton Radiation Therapy: Maligned, Misunderstood, but Just Possibly the Most Effective Cure for Prostate Cancer”

Worth the read. And love this graphic that accompanies the article explaining the Bragg Peak and how it differs from conventional x-rays:

Interesting piece (link) on NPR today. There is some discussion of Proton Therapy, and it starts 8 minutes into this piece.

NBC’s George Lewis appeared on NBC TV with a report on his experience at Loma Linda’s Proton Treatment center. The link may not be available for long if not accessed quickly.

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Nine years ago this August 27th, 2008 I was treated for Prostate Cancer at Loma Linda University’s Proton Treatment Center, in California. The treatment involved 40 work days for about 30 minutes including undressing, into a hospital gown, treatment and re-dressing, started on July 6, 1999 and finished on August 27th, 1999. Each day, the actual Proton treatment was less than 5 minutes. I understand now August, 2008 that the treatment length is 45 work days.

My case is explained on my web site at www.prostateproton.com and further via the “links” page. Another powerful web site is Proton Bob where many testimonies from men who were treated with protons can be read. Bob Marckini runs this site.

Based on my personal experience at Loma Linda, proton treatment in my opinion, and that of many others treated with protons whom I have met, is the new Gold standard without the unpleasant side effects often mentioned in articles on other “radiation” or surgery of any kind. I firmly believe that the “detractors” are SELLING what they have and see Protons as a threat.

If you follow the money you would be impressed by the funds allocated to the new Proton centers coming on line as you read. University of Pennsylvania, Hampton University, Northern Illinois University, a center under development at Oklahoma City and funding for the Siteman Cancer Center in St. Louis Missouri to build a Proton facility.

Note: “Jeffrey Bradley, MD, associate professor of radiation oncology, has been named the first director of the Kling Center for Proton Therapy, a facility for treating cancer patients with a new, highly precise form of radiation therapy. The center is scheduled to open in summer 2009 at the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine.”

Good news for the “to be” diagnosed.

A 12/26/07 article in the New York Times, Cancer Fight Goes Nuclear, With Heavy Price Tag brought the Proton up front. Not all positive but all in all alerts a great number of people to the Proton capability.

Price seems to be the concern in this article; while *I* am sure that Curing Cancer should be at the forefront above all else!

Nothing will stop this important Proton therapy. ALL my systems work today, December 31, 2007. We now have two additional Proton Therapy Centers developing, an increase from the number just reported in my Blog of early December:

A second proton center in the heavily populated Chicago area

Central DuPage would like to see its first patient by 2010. Jim Spear, the hospital’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, said it’s ready to break ground on its Winfield campus “the very day” of board approval. The hospital plans to spend about $140 million on its facility. “We have everything else in place,” he said. “All our financing is secured (from private investors). All our architectural plans for building the building are secured. We have equipment on order. So we’re technically in good shape to start. All we need is the proper approval by the planning board.” Central DuPage also is partnered with ProCure Treatment Centers Inc., a Bloomington, Ind.-based firm that specializes in developing proton therapy centers.

And, a Second Proton Center in Oklahoma City:

Bloomington, Ind.-based ProCure Treatment Centers is building a four-gantry proton center in far northwest Oklahoma City along the Kilpatrick Turnpike.

ProCure has said the cost of its Oklahoma City treatment center, the first of several, will approach $100 million. ProCure has also raised private investment capital to build its treatment centers.

My personal treatment has resulted in NO Side Effects from a NON-INVASIVE treatment with Protons over 8 years and four months ago.

Just diagnosed? Send me an e-mail at jjtug @ msn.com for information.

Within the last 60 days a prominent news magazine featured “Robotic Surgery for Prostate Cancer”. Since I have had at least five surgeries in my life and didn’t like any of them, it seems to me that surgery, be it Robotic or by any means involves invasive cutting of the flesh to excise, repair, and hopefully return the patient to a full recovery.

Unfortunately, any surgery in the difficult prostate gland area seems often fraught with disappointment.

So, it seems to be a “no-brainer” to select the Proton Treatment option when results are equal to or better than any surgical approach or for that matter any other “radiation” approach with (in my personal experience six and one-half years ago), a substantially better quality of life.

So get a second opinion from Loma Linda’s leading edge experts (Proton Referral Office: 1-800-496-4966) or the folks at the Northeast Proton Center (MGH / Harvard) Dr. Zietman, the Midwest Radio Therapy Center in Bloomington, and within two months the new Proton center at M.D. Anderson in Houston, Dr. James Cox. Very soon we will have Shands Cancer on-line in Jacksonville, Florida with the same Proton capability.

Jim Tuggey

Noticed this link about a study that found that regular excercise by men over 65 could greatly reduce the risk of Prostate Cancer. There’s no source given, so not sure who performed the study.

Generally I agree with this New York Times report, however the value of the Proton cannot be exaggerated when it treats you without resulting impotence nor incontinence nor any other significant side effects.

This debate has been in place long before I was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer and of course, everyone has their own agenda like the Doctor on a recent March “Today” show who said, “I don’t see any difference between other treatments and the Proton” while we know that he is fighting his heart out to get a Proton center at his hospital.

So who knows, I know I have a great peace of mind, and would ask any man who has been diagnosed to ask Loma Linda for a second opinion and very soon M D Anderson in Houston will be on line for Protons.

Another center is in the planning stages in Florida and yet another with the University of Pennsylvania and Walter Reed Hospital cooperating. In fact, over 20 new Proton centers are in the planning stages if they can raise the 100 million it takes to build one.