@dbee
Good morning. Will try to answer your questions. I am not known for brevity but will start trying so if I miss something let me know.

I was given the side affects and complications of surgery and radiation by my PCP, urologist, and R/O. Based on that I did not want surgery unless all my medical specialist were saying was best option for me.

Based on my biopsies, Decipher, PSMA, and bone scan and consultations with PCP, Mayo R/O, and UFHPTI, I was told for me the recommendation would be for radiation as my cancer was in early stages and confined to prostate (at least per the tests).

The edge for proton came from possible complicatins and additional chance of damage to surrounding organs and tissues that photon had over proton. My medical specialist all wanted to make sure I knew that proton and photon success rates for treating cancer were almost identical. The major difference is that photon enters body and exit body. Proton enters body at a lower intensity, releases it radiation at a pre-determined spot and DOES NOT exit body. Thus in comparison the information on proton was the possible reduction in radiation damage to surrounding organs and tissues.

I had the 30 rounds of proton at UHPTI. Mayo Jacksonville recommended 20 rounds of SBRT phton radiation. Neither recommended the high dose to me.

It is my understanding that both proton and photon offer high does options thus far less number of treatments. My Mayo PCP was saying their research was showing increased complicatins and side affects from the high dose versus low dose.

However I have read on MCC many having the high does reduced number of treatments with little to no complications and side affects. I guess from my opinion every ones body is different and everyone reacts in their on personal way to radiation and damage it does not only to the prostate cancer but to surround healthy organs and tissues.

I think I would have considered the 5 day option if was offered to me. I got what they call pencil beam radiation. They did radiate my entire prostate and margins. I asked why radiating entire prostate and margins and was told to make sure we treat all cancer present that we could have missed on the biopsies that is present that we don't know about.

I hope I answered your questions. I can only answer was is pertinent to me, what I had, and what was recommended to me. I would suggest contacting UFHPTI and asking for their prostate cancer package. They wil fed ex to you two books you see mentioned on MCC, a ton of research they have done and got, complete information on their treatments, and can also do second opinions. It is free and no presssure to go with them at all.

I would have done the proton radiation at Mayo Jacksonville but they do not have proton only photon. They are building a new cancer center that will open in 2026 that will have proton radiation treatments for all types of cancer.