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Posted 7/15/2015 9:42 PM (GMT 0)
Has anyone had experience with proton therapy for PCa tumors.
If so with what outcomes?

Thank you

BOOGEE
Posted 7/15/2015 9:47 PM (GMT 0)
Boogee, a number of members here have had PBT and/or have opinions on PBT. Perhaps they will weigh in on this thread. However, you can also use the site's search engine to discover a bunch of previous threads on the subject.

Jim
Posted 7/15/2015 9:50 PM (GMT 0)
Thank will do so.
Posted 7/15/2015 10:47 PM (GMT 0)
Boogee,
No personal experience with it but I've hosted UsTOO meetings with guest speakers who have used it in their practice. This is obviously in a salvage setting as opposed to a primary treatment setting which is it's forte. The edge on proton therapy was back a ways but newer IMRT techniques have compare favorably well to it. Cost is a major differentiator though Proton has come down as new centers open up.

Perhaps you have a specific question?
Posted 7/15/2015 10:52 PM (GMT 0)
Boogee, I had proton beam therapy approximately 4 yrs ago and I am very satisfied with my results. I am currently at a psa nadir of 0.03 and virtually no SEs. The supposed advantage of proton is less damage to healthy surrounding tissue and thus fewer SEs. Although there is considerable debate as to whether this is so with respect to prostate cancer treatment, there is no doubt that it effectively treats PCa and most proton patients that you talk to are satisfied customers. There are more and more proton centers being opened around the USA so availability of a center within a reasonable distance is becoming less of a problem. You can search my past posts for info re my treatment experience.
Posted 7/15/2015 10:56 PM (GMT 0)
My husband has metastatic PCa and has never had any radiation. He is on HT but
I have read that radiation can possibly be helpful with this disease if there is any tissue left behind. Nothing has shown in his Pet/ Ct scans although and we haven't let his PSA get high enough for these scans to find anything.

BOOGEE
Posted 7/16/2015 12:08 AM (GMT 0)
Zapping individual bone mets as they are found sounds like a perfect job for a proton beam.... But, getting your insurance to pay for it could be a problem as they would classify this as "experimental" and leave you with a staggering bill.....So it would have to be a research institution performing the experimental treatment and absorbing the cost...
Posted 7/16/2015 2:19 AM (GMT 0)
Fairwind,

Will look into a trial in the Bay Area for PBT.

Thanks,

BOOGEE
Posted 7/16/2015 2:44 AM (GMT 0)
Is there are proton machine in the Bay area now? I know one opened recently in San Diego at Scripps. SBRT is more often used for zapping bone mets.
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