PROTONS in April 2008
Sunday, May 25th, 2008Culley C. Carson, MD, FACS, Esteemed Doctor at the University of North Carolina spoke on a Video regarding Quality of Life After Primary Treatment for Prostate Cancer. [ref: Medscape Urology Tue 4/15/2008.]
Dr. Carson’s video presentation is excellent, however he didn’t mention “Protons” and, what does that mean?
I don’t know, but I suspect that this distinguished Doctor’s entire experience has been with modalities other than Protons and evidently no one in his references looked at the nearly 10,000 men treated by Protons to date.
One of the men I recently met at Loma Linda says it best: “If it ain’t the product of a randomized, double-blind, peer-reviewed clinical trial, it ain’t medicine.”
I believe that no one in his right mind would submit to such a study once they knew about protons results as compared to the other options, especially reduced to No side effects.”
With the word about Protons rapidly spreading the near term dilemma may be how to meet the demand! (The next Proton Center on line will probably be the University of Pennsylvania effort next year.)
My Proton Alma Mater is already feeling the strain of more people learning about Protons. I believe research funding is too slow when this powerful and vital Proton tool is available for many cancer and benign tumors.
Recently some of our major new agencies focused on cost, but who has focused on the cost of continuous treatment for side effects relative to NONE? My friends and I believe that as new Proton centers come on line, cost will reflect market forces and reach lower plateaus.
The Proton is not going away – so stand by for the latest news and information stating where the new centers will be built.
Jim Tuggey
April 17, 2008
