message to Pat k.
Proton beam is not radiation... Photon is radiation. Photons have no measurable mass and penetrate all tissue before and after the tumor.
Proton is a particle beam. Picture this. A microscopic rifle bullet penetrates you hip and stops precisely in you prostate and then explodes within the limits of the gland disabling all the dna in every cell it passes thru. The hole thru the bone is microscopic and heals within a 6 to 8 month period without leaving permanent damage. I know the science behind this and this is a simple way of visualization. The average treatment is 44 once a day sessions. If you are interested and still have your prostate go to loma linda website or simply input "proton beam therapy".
there is a newsletter published monthly by a group call "the brotherhood of the balloon". Email him and he will include you on the email list. I am knowledgable about this treatment and welcome email @ --- Message edited by CancerCompass staff: for personal protection, email address removed. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at http://www.cancercompass.com/common/guidelines.html ---. I am confident it really cures early stage and is very useful in later stage prostate cancer.
I finished treatment dec.28,2004 and felt good enough to play golf dec30,2004.
Windwalker
If you are in the beginning stages of learning of your PC options a must purchase is a book written by Dr. Strum called: A Primer on Prostate Cancer: The Empowered Patient's Guide
Keep in mind, all procedures have a bad habit of failing. The procedure offered by Loma Linda is better than most and I hold it as a contender for my money.
if you are in the early stage of prostate cancer, your chances of successful treatment without lingering side effects that ruin the quality of life, get proton beam thearpy. less impotance, less urine spill,less reoccurrance of cancer, than any other thearpy. you won't be referred to this treatment by any regular doctor or specialist, even though the fda approved it in 1996 and most insurance, including medicare, pays for it. you won't be sick during treatment, in fact it is a great vacation in southern california, if you choose loma linda. mass general does it, m.d. anderson does it. and several other centers, including mayo clinic will be ready soon. it is main stream, not as most doctors say, "alternative". well it may be alternative to them, but it is main stream to thousands of us living joyful complete lives, not maimed by, seeds, surgury, freezing, x or gamma ray radiation or fear of watchful waiting.
forget books put proton beam thearpy into google and get educated.
What do you know about using this at a young age, I am 48, psa 5.54, t1c, and 7 (3-4). I havent read much about this treatment but will definately check it out.
It is even more important that you not be maimed by current methods of treatment recommended by 99.44% of american doctors. Proton beam is least invasive and 97% effective, when timely treatment is given. Young people are not complete without sexual outlet. Proton Beam is the only treatment that leaves you relatively intact. The average age at LOMA LINDA is older than you and we fared much better, at our advanced age, than younger patients do, with surgery.If you are willing to settle for a life of wearing a diaper, no sex, and the good chance of reoccurrance, then PROTON BEAM is not for you.
I have no financial interest is this treatment
or any other, for that matter. Doctors go there for treatment, but do not send their patients.
Call Loma Linda and get started....the younger you are, the faster it grows.
I am interested in this treatment and need to know in how easy/difficult was it to get reasonable low cost accommodations in/nearby Loma Linda.
We stayed at loma linda springs where a large number of the occupants were prostate cancer patients. A one bed rm was 1500 range per mo. We had a two bed rm and paid 1795 per mo.
The social worker will tell you whats available the day you check in and i am positive you will praise the day you decided on proton beam thearpy over all other. I had a one yr checkup which included an 18 needle biopsy and a bone scan....no cancer cells anywhere. I had psa of 8 and a gleason score of 6. My urologist said if i didn't have treatment i'd be dead from it in 3 to 5 yrs. Age 69 and glad i took charge of my treatment.... Windwalker