@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.
@jc76 I’m sorry that you did not understand my post. You have posted a lot of great information, but your statement that photon energy leaves the body at “ full force” was not correct. Photon radiation weakens progressively as it passes through the body. A substantial amount still exits the body, but it is a much weaker dose than that which entered the body. As you noted, proton releases its energy at a specific point (Bragg peak) with little to no energy leaving the body.