Prostate Cancer Blog – Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer

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.

Dear Laura:

Regarding your byline – Minimally Invasive Techniques Emerge as Alternatives for Men With Nonmalignant Condition, WSJ May 20, 2004.

Thank you for this article regarding non-invasive techniques for BHP.

Better yet is the fact that I was treated for Prostate Cancer in 1999 with the Non-invasive Proton – [Proton with a “R”] starting with a PSA of 15.9, a Gleason Score of 6, and Staging T1C. The result of this treatment at Loma Linda Medical Center’s Proton Treatment Center as of Tuesday, May 18, 2004 is a PSA of 0.1 without side effects over 4 and 1/2 years later.

This treatment is not new, Harvard at Mass. General Hospital started treating with the Proton in 1961 and Loma Linda began in 1990. The first cancerous prostate was treated in 1991 at Loma Linda and since then over 5,000 men have been delighted with the results from this non-invasive, minimal side effects treatment.

As of today in Mass. there is a Northeast Proton Center, in Bloomington, Indiana the Midwest Proton Center, and all treat the prostate and many other cancers and benign tumors. A new Proton Center is under construction at M.D. Anderson in Houston where they will use the techniques developed at Loma Linda University under the guidance of Dr. James Slater who recently appeared on the Today show in a Melissa Stark segment.

Two other centers are in the final stages of planning, one in Florida, and one with Walter Reed Hospital and the University of Pennsylvania cooperating. Others are in the early development stage. Over 33,000 patients have been treated with the Proton worldwide and it is a viable, important treatment that is often overlooked and bundled with “Radiation” in general even by the National Cancer Institute.

The proton with the “R” makes the difference – the Photon spelled with a “h” is standard X-Ray although the techniques of delivery have improved using 3 D, IMRT and other techniques. Unless the prostate center has the capability of delivering the Proton, it is not capable of this treatment. As of this date, only three centers have the proton delivery capability as above.

I sponsor 30 “e-mail challenged” men who have had this “proton treatment” and all are happy with the result.

Thank you for reading.

Howard J. “Jim” Tuggey
Prostate Cancer Survivor