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How did you choose between proton or photon radiation?
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Oct 14, 2023 | Replies (35)Comment receiving replies
jc76: just a bit confused, and apologies if I've misread/misunderstood: you first wrote "I did not have Proton.. ," and then wrote, "...I also chose proton beam...." Elsewhere other than at Mayo Clinics, I've been offered SBRT at 5 fractions, but Proton at ~20 fractions. Is Proton with only 5 fractions available at Mayo?
Replies to "jc76: just a bit confused, and apologies if I've misread/misunderstood: you first wrote "I did not..."
Had Proton at Mayo, 5 doses which is now the "normal" regimen. There are also studies into 2 and even 1 dose regimens. PSA has dropped dramatically since last treatment at Mayo, Rochester. We are all fortunate to have the options of Photon, Proton and Brachy... I have heard too many bad scenarios with RP.
Best wishes for successful treatment.
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joecontheroad, I am not reading my original post but if I made a mistake I apologize for that. I will clarify though and answer your questions.
I did not have Photon. Which it traditional radiation like an x-ray. Photon radiation enters body with radiation and exit body with radiation.
I DID have Proton radiation which is a different type of radiation that ends at the target and does not proceed through body. You can see why it has been promoted as less damage going in, during, and no radiation damage going out.
Proton radiation at Mayo facilities. Mayo Jacksonville does not offer proton radiation treatment only photon radiation because they do not have proton radiation facility. At that facility I was offered a 20 round with photon radiation.
Phoenix and Rochester do have proton radiation and offer robust and different types of radiation treatments. It would be up to you and your radiologist/oncologist (RO) trying to do best treatment for your individual cancer and what you want.
Other cancer centers do offer proton radiation treatments with the new 5 treatments over two weeks (3 times first and 2 second). When I got my treatment plan I took what was recommended for me. That was 30 treatments over 6 weeks using the Pencil Beam Proton Radiation. My R/O did say something about could have used scatter beam but their physic department recommended pencil beam because of my ICD/Pacemaker. I was required to have it checked weekly to ensure radiation was not causing any programming issues.
If I miss-wrote something I do apologize. When I was first going through this I did not know about MCC and sure wish I had had that source of information.
My radiation treatment was done a University of Florida Proton Treatment Institute. It is in Jacksonville Florida. UFPTI has been doing proton radiation treatments since 2006 and do a lot of referrals from other providers for eye, throat, brain, type cancers where keeping radiation beam and secondary radiation damage to a minimum as possible..