@dgd1953
I am not sure what you post means. My information comes for direct experience with receiving proton radiaton not photon. The difference between the two were given to me by two consultations. One at Mayo R/Os, and the other at UFHPTI R/O who explain differences to allow me to make a decision for myself and that is what I posted.

Photon radiation can be turned and directed to help not hit organs, etc. but continues out through body. Proton does not exit body and go beyond the programmed stop point.

My post come from my direct experience with two radiation experts who treated me at both UFHTPI and Mayo Jacksonville. When I was at UFHPTI they give you a researched and information packet which explains the differences. UFHPTI made it clear that the success rates were identical but the main difference was proton stops and does not exit through body where photon does.

When I was at UFHPTI half the patients are children. Proton radiation was used to treat them to help prevent secondary radiation damage and secondary radiation cancers caused by radiation.

The next highest people getting radiation proton treatment beyond PC where eye and brain cancer. Again to prevent the radiation from going past that need to be treated and the radiation not continue past into tissues and organs, bones. All my medical provides said same thing ot me major difference is proton stops at specific spot and photon continues through out body. How strong the radiation is as it passes out was not discussed just that the radiaton does continue throughout the body.

Many advancements have been made to photon like SBRT. I was told and steering the beam away from tissues and organs that do not need to be treated. But I based my treatment on my personal experience and my doctors medical advise on proton and photon radiation pros and cons. I picked proton and gave the reasons why I did to a poster who asked me why?

I am not sure about the full force of radiation that comes out after going through other tisues, organs, bones, so cannot comment on that. I do know that recently higher dose radiation treatments with less treatments are now offered. So the amount of radiation going in and out with high dose radiation would determined dosage damage to other tissues, organ, bones, when photon radiation contiues out through body.

I know my UFHPTI R/O did not like higher dose of radiation and lessor treatments as he was seeing more side affects. My PCP (Mayo) said his experience was that he too was seeing increse in side affects with high dose versus low dose. My PCP said many studies have started on the difference in side affects on increased dose versus lower dose treatment plans.

@dgd1953
Agree, my post was to try and help those considering each type and what the radiation beam differences are. I was asked why I chose proton over photon.

Photon radiation enters the body at a programmed strength, that does not change like proton. The programmed photon radiation cannot be changed from it's full strength it was programmed to throughout it's journey entering, hitting target areas, and continuing out the body. Many new short term treatments use a higher dose and shorter treatments.

The intensity or should I say the strength the photon beam after it passes through skin, prostate, other organs, bones, and finally exits body the strength of that radiation beam will definetely be affected (strength) by what is passes through on it's jouring out of the body. But the programmed intensity from entry strength cannot be changed or stopped unlike controlling the proton beam strength and where it stops.

When I had my proton radiation I asked if they would radiate my entire prostate or just the areas they found cancer. I was told they would treat my entire prostate and margins. He explain they do that to make sure the do not miss something in prostate or in the margins that may still have cancer cells. Thus in my case my entire prostate was treated as well as the margins outside my prostate even though my PSMA showed no cancer outside the prostate.

Having the radiation beam continue past my prostate and margins was not something I wanted to do if I could help prevent additional radiation damage to other organs, bones, tissues. I was told even with proton there is always going to be some residual damage beyond margins but the beam stops unlike photon which continues throughout the body until is exits body and continues.

I hope those reading posts and considering which to do reads both posts as photon radiation stength does get affected by what is passes through on it's exiting journey out the body. Proton is a highly controlled beam and does not continue past the programmed spot.

I am an ambassador for UHFPTI for those considering proton radiation there. I will definetly make sure I use different wording to make my post or talking to them to reflect what you posted, thank you.