Prostate Cancer Blog – Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer

“Mayo officials announced Thursday that patient and philanthropist Richard O. Jacobson is contributing $100 million that will be used to help establish the clinic’s Proton beam therapy program. The program will include new facilities on Mayo’s Rochester and Phoenix campuses. The $200 million Rochester facility will be named in Jacobson’s honor.

Mayo says proton beam therapy is an advance over traditional radiation therapy for some cancers because it’s more precisely targeted, allowing for higher doses with fewer adverse effects.”

This is exactly the kind of news that the entire Proton community needs. Recognition by the leadership in the great American medical community that Protons are here to stay and will be a great boon to future health of all as more and more of the medical giants recognize the value of the Proton.

I still marvel at the “head in the sand” view of some Urologists and Radiologists who are stuck on surgery and IMRT, Brachytherapy and the like. I assume that this group is having enough success to continue following these procedures while ignoring the proton. Too bad since their “oath” should insure that they know what is available and what it does, so “we” the public can choose the best possible path to a cure for Cancer on our terms, not theirs.

Folks, there are lots of men and women who are not even talking about the Prostate, they are aware that the proton has many applications and is the least destructive in the area of ‘unintended consequences.” Those consequences would be the X-rays going through the body with their unstoppable characteristic, while the Proton continues to utilize the “Bragg Peak” for reduced impact on the person treated.

I already wish that the Proton could be used for all cancers and I feel fortunate that Loma Linda had this therapy available when I needed the Proton for Prostate cancer in 1999.