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← Return to Finished 28 Proton Therapies
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jc76
Thanks for the reply. I see some people underwent 30, 40 rounds of Proton treatment. Some only went with 5 rounds of treatment. Is this by choice or decided by their Radiation Oncologist in Cancer center according to their level of PCa?
Replies to "jc76 Thanks for the reply. I see some people underwent 30, 40 rounds of Proton treatment...."
Depending on where you go the radiologist/oncologist will decide and possible offer you different options. There are some oncologist/radiologist that prefer the longer doses over shorter ones based on their experience with side affects.
Some will prefer shorter citing both have equal cure rates. So it can be your choice if you are given options to do them. What I have seen is major providers will give options for treatments. I know UFPTI (My particular oncologist/radiologist) does not like to do the shorter treatments. He cited some increase in side affects which I would expect due to high dose. This opinion and comment is not just from him but my PCP at Mayo said his research showed the same thing.
I thing the biggest benefit of the 5 dose versus longer treatments is that it far easier to manage and deal with (over quick). That might encourage those hesitant to do it versus not wanting to have to deal with 6 weeks of treatments or longer. It comes down though if you have options make them in what is best for you not what is best for others. Do research, get second opinions and then pick what is best for you.
There’s a saying - “If you’ve seen one prostate cancer, you’ve only seen one prostate cancer.”
No two prostate cancers are exactly alike; and the differences determine the treatment regimen that’s performed.
What might seem like random numbers - 5, 10, 20, 30, 40….. of radiotherapy sessions (I had 28 of proton) - actually involve a very detailed calculation for each type of radiation that considers the cancer severity, different biodosimetric parameters, dose rates, treatment times, energies and fractionations.
For your specific case, you’ll have to ask your RO which option provides the best outcome with the least side-effects —> higher doses with fewer fractions, or lower doses with more fractions? (I asked my RO that question….and more.)
With each of them, the dosimetrist calculates a biologic effective dose for optimum treatment and successful outcome.
Hope that helps answer your question.
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you're oncologist makes that decision-, do not compare your projected treatments to other patients - you medical status is solely yours and supposedly he knows what's best so you do not have to repeat the proton beam therapy a second time if you have a reoccurrence.