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Prostatectomy or Radiation? Lot of stress over which to choose
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Dec 25, 2025 | Replies (116)Comment receiving replies
@jc76 Ask your RO if, for example, he thinks Michael Zelefsky in NY knows anything. Zelefsky says he thinks protons are good, but he's sticking with photons when it comes to the external beam he uses.
Whether protons are best is controversial, i.e. there is disagreement among some of the most eminent people in the field.
My comments on brachytherapy were about an option I'm considering, i.e. EBRT with brachytherapy boost. I view the therapy as a combination external and internal beam.
When this therapy is used, the entire prostate is radiated by a radiation source or sources placed inside the prostate, then EBRT is applied to the entire prostate and other areas. It is a way to administer a total dose to the entire prostate higher than any EBRT can safely deliver. Data shows, eg. the TRIP study, that if properly administered, EBRT + BT boost delivers longer recurrence free outcomes than any EBRT alone can.
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@climateguy
I will send you a private message.
I have seen many post on medical doctors wanted to stick to what they know and use. I ran into this at Mayo Jacksonville.
Per both of my R/Os (Mayo Jacksonville and UFHPTI) that the success rates of both types of radiation are the same. It is the possibility or reduces radiation damage to surrounding tissues and organs where the difference is. Also (again per my R/Os) the possibility of increased secondary cancers with photon.
UFHPTI was full of children (very sad to see) from Mayo Jacksonville, and adults with eye and brain cancers. I cannot tell you how many different languages I overhead as many come from all over the world to UFHPTI.
Mayo Jacksonville just opened there new 325 million cancer center. And now offer proton radiation. It was that press announcement I was trying to send to you about the increased benefits Mayo Jacksonville was listing for now being able to offer proton radiation treatments.