Guest Post – Floyd Jordan; My Prostate Cancer Experience
Hello to any man who has learned he has prostate cancer and now must decide what treatment option to select and where that treatment should be provided. The quick answer is PROTON TREATMENT at Loma Linda University Medical Center’s Proton Treatment Therapy Center (LLUMC). Call 1-800-776-8667.
In my case, my local urologist called in April of 2012 with the news that my prostate biopsy showed cancer. Gleason score was 3+4 for a total of 7. PSA was 9. (Current PSA is 0.37)
The decision for treatment was easy. My brother-in-law owner of this blog, Jim Tuggey, had gone to Loma Linda in 1999 for proton treatment of his prostate cancer and has been singing the praises of the treatment and the people ever since.
So I called the above number, sent the necessary medical records, flew to Southern California for a first meeting, came home and packed. My wife Judy and I drove to Loma Linda for my first treatment in mid-June of that year.
The nine weeks we spent at LLUMC was one of the best vacations we ever had and we have traveled a lot. The people at LLUMC are wonderful – they truly care. The treatment each day, five days a week, normally took little time, leaving the rest of the day for any activity of our choosing. The get-togethers on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings were great times. The housing options were superb. And the other patients represent people who searched out several options of treatment, and did not simply accept the recommendation of the urologist back home and decided that proton treatment is the better option.
You are encouraged to do the same.
Floyd Jordan
fjjordan@gmail.com or 501-922-4311
Comment by Michael Armstrong
I’m in Jacksonville this week to celebrate my 4 years post-proton therapy for prostate cancer. I’m doing well, as I expect the several hundred others expected to show up this week are. It’s truly a celebration, with clinics, seminars, food, and good fellowship.
Posted on April 1, 2014 at 4:30 pm
Comment by Roger Parton
I am having proton therapy for prostate cancer at the moment. My Gleason score was 3+4 and my PSA was 9.
I chose to have my treatment in Munich, Germany. I am to have 21 sessions over the next month. This is much less than the USA treatments, as related in other personal accounts, where treatment lasted 9 weeks. Is this due to a stronger dose of proton being used? I would welcome any comments and input from other proton patients. As someone else mentioned, the discomfort of the balloon and a full bladder are worth the inconvenience when the end result is long lasting health and few, if any, side effects.
Thanks for all the useful information.
Posted on August 11, 2018 at 1:31 pm
Comment by Deb Hickey
Hi Roger – Please note we are not doctors and cannot give medical advice.
It sounds to me like you are beginning the hypofractionated clinical trial – the shorter proton treatment protocol. Yes, the HF trials use higher doses of proton beam radiation in roughly half the time (of the standard treatment protocol). The HF protocol has had outstanding results for both tumor control and quality of life after treatment.
Roger, we’d love to know how your treatment goes. Why not sign up to become a BOB member? Membership is free and once you sign up, you’ll begin to receive our 20+ page monthly newsletter. Sign up here: https://protonbob.com/user/register
Send any further questions to DHickey@protonbob.com, please. Also, if you’d like to speak with other proton patients who underwent the shortened treatment protocol, we can send you a list (write to DHickey@protonbob.com).
NO MEDICAL ADVICE: Material appearing here represents opinions offered by non-medically-trained laypersons. Comments shown here should NEVER be interpreted as specific medical advice and must be used only as background information when consulting with a qualified medical professional.
Posted on August 13, 2018 at 2:56 pm