@surftohealth88 Actually, both “radiation is radiation” and “many side effects are seen years down the road” need further explanation.

Photons and protons are as different as night and day.
> photons are massless packets of electromagnetic energy (like X-rays); photons lose energy continuously along their entire path.
> protons are heavy, positively charged subatomic particles; protons travel a specific distance, then create an intense burst of energy right at the end of their path.

The practical application of these concepts is significant.
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As for “many side effects are seen years down the road” —> Remember that what radiation doesn’t hit, it won’t affect. Much planning should be taken not to overshoot the prostate in order to avoid hitting nearby otherwise healthy tissues and organs (i.e., minimize entry-dose, scatter, and exit-dose). By applying radiation precisely and accurately, there should be no side effects seen years down the road.