Posted by Jim Tuggey on March 1st, 2013 — Posted in General
My annual physical check was on Monday Feb. 18, 2013
No surprise to me was a PSA of 0.1 and no side effects from my Prostate cancer treatment at Loma Linda’s Proton facility in 1999. I was absolutely sure that this would be the outcome despite a beginning PSA of over 15.9.
Somewhere I read that, “Many men undergoing a radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer may focus on erectile dysfunction as the major complication they face.” As you may know from reading my site, “Prostate Surgery” claims more men who often face urinary incontinence. This problem does not seem to be a major issue after Proton treatment for Prostate cancer.
Facts show lots of “selling” going on if you will not consider ‘Protons” as a viable solution. If your training and life history depends on whatever you have been trained to do, then as one famous Urologist’s patient said, if you are selling a Cadillac you usually de-emphasize the value of Lincoln.
Today in 2013 I have spoken or replied to many men, and many women who want the best for their husbands. I can only repeat that a survey of BOB membership showed conclusively that prostate cancer cure rates were at least as good as the best alternatives and quality of life after treatment far superior by every measure.
Here we are in March – More to follow – Thank you for reading,
Posted by Jay Rolls on February 16th, 2013 — Posted in Patient Testimonies
Reprinted with permission by Gerard Bartasavich. Original article is HERE.
When Gerard “Bart” Bartasavich went for his annual physical, he mentioned to his doctor that he seemed to be urinating more than normal. The doctor performed a PSA test and discovered that Bart’s levels were high. He referred Bart to a urologist who performed a biopsy. When Bart didn’t receive a quick response, he assumed the biopsy results were good. But just to be sure, he called his doctor one day while at work.
The doctor informed Bart that he had prostate cancer, and that it was aggressive.
“The phone just dropped, my mouth dropped,” Bart recalled. “I was just totally stunned.”
It was April 2008. Bart was 56 years old.
With a Gleason score of 8.0 and a PSA of 5.62, Bart was advised by his urologists that removing his prostate was the best option, but that there was a chance he would be in diapers the rest of his life and wouldn’t be able to function sexually. A urologist at a Cleveland hospital even told Bart that doing his own research on prostate cancer was a bad idea.
“The doctor told me ‘don’t Google it,’” Bart said. “So, the first thing I did was Google it!”
Bart was familiar with proton therapy because a family friend had received it in California, and he began to discuss the possible treatment with some of his doctors. One doctor informed him that it was too expensive, and another warned him that he could bleed to death due to his history of ulcerated colitis. But this was contrary to what he learned from his friend and through online research.
Due to the aggressive nature of Bart’s prostate cancer, he was rejected by another proton therapy provider. As he continued to do research he discovered the IU Health Proton Therapy Center in Bloomington, Ind., which was reasonably close to his home in Ohio.
“It was brand new, and they took the worst cases,” Bart recalled. “They were concerned about the patient, and that was the turning point for me.”
Bart’s insurance provider initially denied his treatment, so the staff at the Proton Therapy Center resubmitted the claim and won his appeal for coverage.
Bart began undergoing treatment at the IU Health Proton Therapy Center in September 2008. “Initially, I was scared to death. I was actually petrified,” he recalled. The aggressive nature of his cancer and his history with ulcerated colitis were valid concerns for Bart.
While undergoing his treatment, he met with doctors once a week to discuss the progress. Due to his ulcerated colitis, Bart had a colonoscopy midway through the process to determine if the treatment had caused any damage.
“The doctor came skipping down the hall,” Bart remembers. “He said there were no side effects from the proton radiation.”
During his treatment, Bart continued to go about his life as normally as possible. The Proton Center helped him find an apartment in Bloomington. He and his wife, Vera, would go out to eat, go for walks and enjoy the beautiful state parks in the area. They also took trips to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Nashville, and French Lick. Bart refers to it as his “radiation vacation.”
He also enjoyed being able to listen to the music of his choice during his treatment sessions, settling on some Rod Stewart classics. “I used to turn that up as loud as I could, and didn’t even realize I was getting the treatment,” he remembers.
Bart was impressed by the personable nature of the staff at the center. “It wasn’t uncommon for a doctor or one of the staff to yell out, ‘Hi Bart’,” he said. “When you were there, you felt like a friend versus a patient.”
After Bart’s successful treatment, he returned to Ohio to spend time pursuing his love of woodworking and classic Thunderbird cars. With a current PSA of 1.53, he still keeps in touch with the staff and fellow patients he met during his treatment. He is an advocate for proton therapy, and for the IU Health Proton Therapy Center.
“This center is something special,” Bart says. “I was totally impressed with the treatment I had.”
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Posted by Jim Tuggey on February 4th, 2013 — Posted in General
Bob Marckini provides all of us with “Bob Tales” monthly. His January 2013 newsletter finds yet another “government funded study at a prestigious university” to compare proton therapy to IMRT.
As pointed out, it’s inaccurate to compare a patient population made up of 98 percent from one modality and 2 percent from the other and using “Billing records” to determine side effects.
I guess I am among the few who have read the scientific peer reviewed prospective studies while the media runs with the “study” and in the process fails to recognize the group of men who represent over half the population that has been treated with protons for Prostate cancer.
The group I’m part of (now over 6,000 strong) has members representing every proton center in the U.S. and three from overseas.
Today, in 2013, I have spoken or replied to many men as well as many women who want the best for their husbands. I can only repeat that a survey of BOB membership showed conclusively that prostate cancer cure rates were at least as good as the best alternatives and quality of life after treatment far superior by every measure.
Did I mention that I was treated in 1999 and my relationship with my wife of 58 years (December 2012) is still wonderful, and those facts speak for themselves.
Gee, I just turned 83!! Stand by for March – more to follow. Thank you for reading,
Posted by Jim Tuggey on January 7th, 2013 — Posted in General
Jim here; I’m going to focus on “why Protons?” using my friend and fellow “Proton” recipient Bob Marckini’s “Mythbuster” series of articles on the ten myths about proton therapy. His team will debunk these myths, one at a time, with facts and reputable, published studies. I will try to include any part of Bob’s effort in future 2013 Proton reports on this website.
“Isn’t it interesting the way information can be ‘spun’ by those with an agenda, to make a point that fits their cause? One of the best examples of this are the political debates and subsequent analyses on network and cable television. They even have ‘spin rooms’ where pundits from each side get together and take snippets of the debate (often out of context) to make their candidate look good and the other guy look bad.”
Here’s another example of spinning the data: the number of physicians in the U.S. is 700,000. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, accidental deaths caused by physicians per year are 120,000, or 0.171 per physician. The number of gun owners in the U.S. is 80 million and, according to the FBI, the number of accidental gun deaths per year is 1,500. So, the number of accidental deaths per gun owner is 0.0000188. Ridiculous? Absolutely. But, this is no less ridiculous than some of the claims, attacks, and distortions being directed at proton therapy. Early this year a terribly flawed study from the University of North Carolina, looking backwards, using Medicare billing codes to identify what they thought were side effects, concluded that proton therapy for prostate cancer is no better than IMRT, and proton produces more rectal side effects. All the other prospective, scientific, peer-reviewed studies, which reached different conclusions, were ignored. Nevertheless, the media loved it and ran with it. Clearly there was another “agenda” at work here.
Our group consists of more than half the men (still alive) who have had proton therapy for prostate cancer. We have members representing every proton center in the U.S. and three overseas. Our 2009 survey of BOB membership showed conclusively that prostate cancer cure rates were at least as good as the best alternatives and quality of life after treatment far superior by every measure. And the facts speak for themselves. Stay tuned.
More to follow – Thank you for reading.
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Posted by Jim Tuggey on December 25th, 2012 — Posted in General
CHRISTMAS IS HERE 2012 –
PROSTATE CANCER IS GONE
Wonderful? Absolutely! And, absolutely disproves some of the claims, attacks, and distortions being directed at proton therapy by both Medical experts who should know better, ONE flawed study used “billing codes” instead of facts that are evident in my experience and with many like me.
Hard for me to believe that I will be 83 on February 4th, 2013 and my prostate cancer is gone. I was lucky to find Loma Linda’s Proton facility and a good friend in Fort Worth, Texas who received his MD training at Loma Linda told me where to go to get rid of the Cancer in early 1999.
I still meet men complaining about the consequences of their treatment from IMRT, prostate Surgery, Robotic prostate surgery, and other treatments to include side effects that I have never had.
Bob Marckini has started his “Mythbuster” series of articles on the ten myths about proton therapy. His team will debunk these myths, one at a time, with facts and reputable, published studies. I will try to include any part of Bob’s effort in future 2013 Proton reports.
As Bob says, “Stay tuned”.
And WITH PROTONS A GREAT OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE!
Posted by Bob Marckini on October 29th, 2012 — Posted in General, Patient Testimonies
Isn’t it interesting the way information can be “spun” by those with an agenda, to make a point that fits their cause? One of the best examples of this is the political debates and subsequent analyses on network and cable television. They even have “spin rooms” where pundits from each side get together and take snippets of the debate (often out of context) to make their candidate look good and the other guy look bad.
Here’s another example of spinning the data: The number of physicians in the U.S. is 700,000. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, accidental deaths caused by physicians per year are 120,000, or 0.171 per physician. The number of gun owners in the U.S. is 80 million and, according to the FBI, the number of accidental gun deaths per year is 1,500. So, the number of accidental deaths per gun owner is 0.0000188. Therefore, statistically, doctors are approximately 9,000 times more dangerous than gun owners. I guess you can conclude–guns don’t kill people … doctors do.
Ridiculous? Absolutely. But, this is no less ridiculous than some of the claims, attacks, and distortions being directed at proton therapy.
Early this year a terribly flawed study from the University of North Carolina, looking backwards, using Medicare billing codes to identify what they thought were side effects, concluded that proton therapy for prostate cancer is no better than IMRT, and proton produces more rectal side effects. All the other prospective, scientific, peer-reviewed studies, which reached different conclusions, were ignored. Nevertheless, the media loved it and ran with it. Clearly there was another “agenda” at work here.
But, truth, justice, and the facts are on our side. This month we begin our “Mythbuster” series of articles on the ten myths about proton therapy. We will debunk these myths, one at a time, with facts and reputable, published studies.
Our group consists of more than half the men alive today who have had proton therapy for prostate cancer. We have members representing every proton center in the U.S. and three overseas. Our 2009 survey of BOB membership showed conclusively that prostate cancer cure rates were at least as good as the best alternatives and quality of life after treatment far superior by every measure. A subsequent, scientific survey of our membership was far more comprehensive. These results have been analyzed and are soon to be published. We will let the results and the facts speak for themselves.
Stay tuned, Bob Marckini
Posted by Jim Tuggey on September 20th, 2012 — Posted in Book Reviews, General
In my June 26, 2012 blog, “PSA Test is the answer for now!” I suggested that PSA testing was important.
The NATIONAL PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS MONTH brings us FOX Channel’s doctors under the title “House call with Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld” on TV program that aired September 16, 2012. The two doctors discussed PSA testing and emphasized “DIAGNOSE EARLY“ and the important role that PSA testing plays.
Loma Linda’s Proton facility filled in the blanks and now that they have over 11,745 patients treated at their Proton facility for prostate cancer alone it might be a good idea to get a proton expert at Loma Linda in on the conversation that to me seems widely “income oriented” rather than finding the best tests and treatment for men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Bob Marckini, my close friend, has a widely read book You Can Beat Prostate Cancer And You Don’t Need Surgery To Do It. This is a valuable book and when Bob finishes his new book it will expand your knowledge.
Go to this page (click here) and watch the videos – you will learn a lot about Protons and Loma Linda and can apply much of what you learn to the new “Proton Treatment Centers” that have come on line to date.
The remarkable “Protons” are here to stay and PSA tests will help you decide when to take control and get this treatment!
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Posted by Jim Tuggey on September 6th, 2012 — Posted in Proton Facilities
Dallas Morning News, September 5, 2012
Dallas Market Center Land L.P. is seeking city approval to develop the land for the Dallas Proton Treatment Center
UT Southwestern Medical Center plans to operate the $225 million, 100,000-square-foot advanced medical facility.
This is to be owned and funded by Advanced Particle Therapy a San Diego based firm that owns similar facilities in San Diego, Baltimore and Atlanta.
Dr. Bruce Meyer, executive VP for health system affairs at UTSW, said in a statement, “this is an exciting development in our ability to offer patients in the region access to the best possible treatment options and provide a leadership role in how to best apply this technology.”
At least someone in the Dallas area is interested in using “protons” and I am happy! This would be about 40 minutes from my home.
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Posted by Jim Tuggey on September 4th, 2012 — Posted in General
This month, I received an email from a man who asked about making financial investments in “Protons”. I did not have a recommendation and suggested that if you wish to know more, contact the Proton users. Some Proton centers are medical center based and others have separated from the hospital organizations and have gone in different directions that specialize in the use of protons. I do not believe that there is more experience with the protons than with the users of Protons at Loma Linda, California and Roberts Proton Therapy Center at University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, PA.
I do expect that the operation of Proton centers in conjunction with the Mayo Clinic (two sites) and others will expand the knowledge and use of the Proton.
It is easy to understand why protons are not welcome in some circles where the knowledge pool is involved in everything from “Robotic Surgery” to include IMRT radiation other protocols. To me, if you or your urologist don’t have the Proton capability, pick up the telephone and talk to those who do. Or…. look at the videos on this web site – they help tell the story.
I believe that if a doctor is in a smaller city or town environment, all he or she may have to offer is surgery or traditional radiation as a form of treatment.
What is unfortunate for these folks is the fact that they do what they have to do. In the talks I have provided to men with Prostate cancer, there have been three reactions to what I have to say: “I didn’t know about that”, “I’m sure glad that I found out about protons” and unfortunately some too late with the comment “I’ve already had surgery”.
Hard to find fault with a treatment that took my 15.6 PSA in 1999 down to 0.1, where it has stayed to date, September 4, 2012!
Posted by Jim Tuggey on August 9th, 2012 — Posted in General, Patient Testimonies
My brother-in-law finishes up at Loma Linda’s Proton Facility this month and tells me that the LLUMC staff at the Proton center and the overall staff at this wonderful facility have impressed him in every way, from knowledge to service for the patient.
In the meantime I have been reading a number of the available medical advice papers that lists Radiation Therapy, Hormone Therapy, Surgery, Cryoablation, and last “old Faithful” Watchful Waiting. The unfortunate facts are that these suggestions are not uncommon and once again, Proton radiation is not mentioned on these pamphlets.
In fact, the following quote seems to decide for the men who are diagnosed; that “surgery” is the answer!?
“Prostate cancer is the second leading cancer killer of American men, and 1 in 6 will be diagnosed with the disease during their lifetime. In 2012, more than 240,000 men will get the chilling diagnosis — and then be faced with the decision of whether or not to undergo surgery.”
My personal experience tells me to say “no” to surgery, a course of action that was suggested to me in 1999 by my Urologist in Texas. By pure luck I met a Doctor in Fort Worth, Texas who told me in specific terms – “Go to Loma Linda’s Proton Center, that’s where they kill cancer.”
Hard to find fault with a treatment that took my 15.6 PSA down to 0.1 in August 1999, where it has stayed to this date!
