Connect
← Return to Gleason7(3+4) - treatment options recommendation
Discussion
Gleason7(3+4) - treatment options recommendation
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Oct 7 1:02pm | Replies (237)Comment receiving replies
I suspect a (marginal) benefit of photon over proton would be that if the cancer has spread a bit more than detected, the radiation spreads a bit more too, and might just attack it anyway.
For most people, though, I agree that proton would be more desirable if available, especially for cancer that's in a very early stage and clearly isolated in one or two spots in the prostate. Radiation cystitis (bladder damage) and proctitis (rectal damage) — even when extremely mild, like mine — are annoying, though you learn to live with them.
Still, even if it had been available, I probably wouldn't have gone for proton in my case, because my cancer had already spread non-locally to my spine, so there was a non-trivial chance there might be some hanging around near the prostate as well that didn't show up in the scans. They told me that even though it's fairly precise, the SBRT (CyberKnife) photon radiation I received continues working and spreading for quite a few weeks after treatments end.
Replies to "I suspect a (marginal) benefit of photon over proton would be that if the cancer has..."
Connect
@northoftheborder
When I had my consultations with Mayo R/O and UFHPTI R/O both said they treatment I would receive would be to entire prostrate and margins.
Why I asked? Answer there is NO guarantee that the biopsies taken show all areas that can have cancer. If we miss an area, even minute the cancer will still grow and could spread. So both radiate all the prostrate AND margins outside the prostrate.
With your case yes if outside the prostrate a very different situation. Mine was confirmed inside prostrate from the PSMA and bone scans. It was determined I was in the very early stages of the cancer and Decipher came back low risk. But they still did margins.
Yes the damage to prostrate by either contiues for several weeks. I had to wait 4 weeks until could take supplements again. There are some new radiation treatments actual designed to kill the cancer but my concern with that unless you treat all you can miss a cell here or there. Most photon and proton radiation is designed to damage the cancer cells. When damaged the cancer cells cannot reproduce and eventually die. The radiation also damages the regular prostrate cells but they can reproduce and heal themselves.
It is why I was taken of all supplements that are designed to protect cells and antioxidants. I was adivsed research has shown those supplements help protect the cells but they also protect the cancer cells.