Posted by Jim Tuggey on August 6th, 2005 — Posted in General
There is a fine article in the New York Times, August 2, 2005 written by Claudia Dreifus.
Dr. Ritsuko Komaki, Radiation Oncologist, and wife of Dr. James Cox who heads MD Anderson radiation facility, experienced Hiroshima and led to her interest in radiation. She tells about successes in radiation at M.D. Anderson and increased survival rates, and she speaks of the new Proton Center about to open, ” And next year, we have the proton beam therapy machine going at M.D. Anderson, and with it we can do even more precise and effective treatments. The protons hit only the diseased tissue and nothing else.”
Since I am about the complete my sixth year since treated for prostate cancer with protons at Loma Linda University Medical Center, CA. I can attest to that. Jim Tuggey, August 6, 2005
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Posted by Jim Tuggey on July 6th, 2005 — Posted in General
Very positive article on Proton therapy at MD Anderson in the June 27, 2005 Fortune Magazine. This is another important indicator pointing to the effectiveness of Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer and the spread of the facilities in the USA that can use Protons for Cancer treatment. I expect further word on Shands Cancer center in Jacksonville, Fl. soon as they are under construction. Quick advice, get a second opinion from Loma Linda’s proton experts, Midwest RadioTherapy Center in Bloomington Indiana, or the NorthEast Proton Center in Boston.
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Posted by Jim Tuggey on June 28th, 2005 — Posted in Book Reviews
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.
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Posted by Jim Tuggey on June 12th, 2005 — Posted in Press
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.
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Posted by Jim Tuggey on June 9th, 2005 — Posted in Patient Testimonies
This is a man who sings with me and his mother-in-law was going blind. Here’s what he says in case anyone thinks that Loma Linda only treats Prostates:
“My mother in-law has returned from Loma Linda. They have reduced the size of her brain tumor and think that they have stopped any further growth. Her vision to her eye has returned. She’ll have MRIs every six months to monitor. Thanks for the tip TUGG!!!”
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Posted by Jim Tuggey on June 3rd, 2005 — Posted in Book Reviews
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.
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Posted by Jim Tuggey on June 2nd, 2005 — Posted in General
We’ve created this Blog to keep everyone updated on a continual stream of breaking news and events in the world of Proton Beam Therapy. I hope you find this content informative and useful. Jim
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Posted by Jim Tuggey on May 21st, 2005 — Posted in Letters to the Editor
[This from my friend John P. Ebin]
Dear Editor,
Shame, Shame, Shame on you!!!!!! As a benefactor and patient of the Mayo Clinic for over 35 years, I would have expected better of you. Regarding your mention of Proton Beam Therapy, and your statement that “this form of radiation is under study at a few medical centers, and it’s anticipated that use of this technique will increase in coming years,” I must inform you that this is total misinformation. Loma Linda University Medical Center has been treating patients for over 15 years with incredible results as clearly confirmed in their 5, 7, and 10 year published and peer reviewed studies. Over 10,000 patients have been treated so far with over 6000 of them being for prostate cancer. LLUMC is now treating almost 800 patients per year for Prostate Cancer. Also, centers are open in Boston, Bloomington, Indiana and others all over the world. M. D. Anderson and Shands Hospital are both constructing centers, each costing well over 100 million dollars. They are not spending this money to just “study” but as each have stated, to deliver the most advanced and proven form of targeted radiation to patients, to cure their cancers and save lives, and most importantly to minimize collateral damage to adjacent tissues. Many other major medical institutions in the USA have centers under design and are now searching for the funding.
I have benefited from LLUMC’s vision, having been treated there 3 years ago with excellent results, and no side effects. I did visit Mayo in Rochester to discuss my options with Dr. Robert Meyers (whom I have great respect for), but decided against surgery and instead opted for PBT at LLUMC. In retrospect, it was a great decision, having seen the disastrous side effect from Radical Prostate Surgery in many of my friends.
It looks to me as if Mayo is protecting a revenue source, instead of giving PBT it’s just and honest review. I think you should wake up to the proven benefits of PBT and build your own center. Radical Prostate Surgery is no longer the “Gold Standard.” It is now the “Old Standard” and just possibly normal x-ray radiation will become obsolete in the near future because of the genius and vision of Dr. James Slater at LLUMC.
I suggest you correct your mistake in the next Health Letter, unless you wished to do a terrible disservice to mankind. Anything less than this will cause discredit to your Health Letter, and I for one, will end my subscription.
Respectfully,
John P. Ebin
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Posted by Jim Tuggey on May 21st, 2005 — Posted in General
Very disappointing Medical Essay, June 2005 from the prestigious, Mayo Clinic, Subject: Prostate health.
On page 7, the last sentence of the paragraph on Radiation Therapy that starts with the statement “This is an effective alternate to surgery”, says:
“However, a newer form of therapy uses protons instead of X-rays to kill the cancer. Protons travel through non cancerous tissue and deposit their radiation dose in the targeted area. This form of radiation is under study at a few medical centers, and it’s anticipated that the use of this technique will increase in coming years.” See excerpt attached.
This is very incomplete statement and the only acknowledgement of “protons” in this otherwise informative eight page essay.
Since I just saw Doctor Rossi, on May 17th, started in 1999 with a PSA of 15.9, Gleason 6 and Stage T1C, and now have nothing on the DRE and a PSA of <.1 with five years, 9 months since treatment with no side effects in the last two years, what gives? What is their "protocol" for treatment information?
There are two reports Peer reviewed, from Loma Linda that I have read, and about 7,000 men treated for Prostate Cancer at LLUMC. It would seem that Mayo would get the word that a substantial "study" is already completed.
Ruined my weekend.
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Posted by Jim Tuggey on May 17th, 2005 — Posted in General
PSA was less than 0.1. On the way home tomorrow.
By the way, M.D. Anderson is due on line next spring, 2006. The Midwest radiotherapy center in Bloomington, Indiana is already treating Prostates and other cancers and Loma Linda has the first 50 women on the way toward refining the breast cancer protocols.
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