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Has anyone had any luck with Proton Treatment or Carbon ion beam for prostate cancer?

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Posted 5/11/2015 5:11 PM (GMT 0)

Has anyone had any luck with Proton Treatment or Carbon ion beam for prostate cancer?

htt://www.bnl.gov/newsroom/news.php?a=24672

_____________________________________________________
Age 49 Diagnosed at 47
Malignant neoplasm of prostate Gleason score =7 (4+3)
Prostate, robotic assisted radical prostatectomy-1/14/2014

Pathologic Diagnosis:
1. Prostatic adenocarcinoma. Gleason 7=(4+3)
2. Organ confined (pT2)
3. Seminal vesicles and vasa deferentia are negative for tumor
4. Margins positive. See coment

Prostate, right postero-lateral base, biopsy: Benign prostatic tissue
Right pelvic lymph nodes, resection: Thirteen benign lymph nodes (0/13)
Left pelvic lymph nodes, resection: Thirteen benign lymph nodes (0/13)

Comment: Dominant nodule location: Right posterolateral/posterior region (mid to base)
Size of dominant nodule: 2.0 x 1.2 x 0.7 cm
Gleason grade percentages (dominant nodule): Gleason 4 = 60%; Gleason 3=40%
Additional nodules: none
location and extent of positive margin: right posterior mid; linear length = 5mm. Gleason score of tumor at margin is 7 (4+3).

PSA levels
4.0 12/30/13 (Pre surgery)
<0.1 03/18/14 (3 months after surgery)
<0.1 06/16/14
<0.1 09/17/14
0.2 12/16/14
0.2 01/17/15
0.4 04/16/15 (PSA level just doubled in 3 months)

Posted 5/11/2015 5:31 PM (GMT 0)
John,

While you are looking into different kinds of radiation treatments you might check into Stereotactic Body RadioTherapy (SBRT). It's a relatively new way of administering radiation that has many of the same theoretical advantages as things like protons but it costs less and it has been holding up well in research studies.
Posted 5/11/2015 5:42 PM (GMT 0)
Carbon ion is only available in Germany and Japan.

For salvage after RP, the only kind of radiation that's used is IMRT. You need the kind of broad coverage that it can give.

- Allen

Post Edited (Tall Allen) : 5/11/2015 11:50:44 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/11/2015 6:02 PM (GMT 0)
I had proton beam therapy treatment 3 1/2 years ago. Current PSA is 0.05 and no significant SEs. If you can afford the time required for treatment (mine was 44 days over 9 weeks) and have access to a proton center, I highly recommend this form of treatment.
Posted 5/11/2015 7:50 PM (GMT 0)

Thank you both for your reply.


Skeeter: I assume you did not have your prostate removed?


Allen: With the IMRT of the pelvic bed area can I assume the loss of bladder incontinence is pretty high? Bowel incontinence too?

Posted 5/11/2015 8:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hey John. No advice on this one, but wanted to say welcome to the forum!

You've already received some really good input from a couple of the forum's best and most knowledgeable. Peter DisAbleard and Tall Allen have been around a while and know what they're talking about.

All the best as you do your research!

Jerry
Posted 5/11/2015 8:10 PM (GMT 0)
It depends a lot on what your situation was before the salvage radiation. If you were incontinent, it might make it worse. Some guys get incontinent after, some experience urinary retention after, and some sail through it with no problems. There's no way to predict it. Same thing with erectile function.

- Allen
Posted 5/11/2015 8:13 PM (GMT 0)
John, on your original post I did not see your signature and thus did not realize you have already had your prostate removed. You are correct in that I still have my prostate. Proton can be used for SRT in certain situations. I have a friend that had surgery, and later underwent a combination of proton/imrt for SRT. Depends on the area that needs to be radiated. My friend has had no loss of continence, but does have bowel problems.

John from Michigan said...
Thank you both for your reply.


Skeeter: I assume you did not have your prostate removed?


Allen: With the IMRT of the pelvic bed area can I assume the loss of bladder incontinence is pretty high? Bowel incontinence too?

Posted 5/11/2015 8:26 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Jerry, Allen and Peter...I should know a lot more about my situation by the end of the month. I appreciate you answering my questions even if they might seem basic. I'm trying to learn what I can so if needed I will be able to make a decisive treatment plan if I don't get the miraculous healing that I pray for daily.
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