Would you recommend proton therapy vs surgical removal of prostate?

@neilmartin Interesting thoughts. I've "heard" proton was more accurate and had less side effects. Have a friend undergoing it now. I had EBRT and after 10 months I can say the healthy tissue damage is, and still is real.

@jc76 I went to the UFHPTI website. I looked all over (Pca link, site map) and could not find a place to request the packet. Do you mind sharing the link?

@service1010
Please see below accreditations for the information you requested. I posted the accreditations' just in case others are interested but only the text as Icons would not copy.

Accreditations:
American College of Radiology (ACR) Accreditation icon
American College of Radiology� Accredited

Florida Cancer Center of Excellence Award icon
Florida Cancer Center of Excellence

NCI Designated Cancer Center icon
National Cancer Institute Designation
_____________________________________________________________________________
UFHPTI Coordinator:
Thank you so much for continuing to promote UF Health Proton Therapy Institute on Mayo Community Connect. We truly appreciate your ongoing support and advocacy. Your experience and willingness to share it make a meaningful difference for others exploring their treatment options.

For anyone interested in receiving our information packet, they are welcome to email me directly (chayden@floridaproton.org) and I’ll be happy to send it to them. They can also submit an inquiry through the “Contact Us” link on our website (https://www.floridaproton.org/about-us/contact-us), and our team will follow up promptly.

Thank you again for being such a strong ambassador for UFHPTI, and for helping connect others with our resources. Please feel free to continue forwarding anyone my way.
Sincerely,
Courtney Hayden
Patient Intake Coordinator

I had the genetics testing done for prostate and my results came back negative about 4 weeks ago.

Yes, Proton has fewer side effects on many types of treatments but not prostate cancer. It has been measured against IMRT as equally effective and similar side effects. Check the Partiqol study, note rectal effects chart year one, study says proton is worse but not significantly. Then look at recent SBRT, and especially MRI guided SBRT and I think side effect profile is much better. Worth the time to look at this information. Also prostatectomy at a younger age might be worth considering. I am not a doc so please do your own research.

@seekingclarity
If you are going to have PC your numbers are what most of us would like to have. Does that help?

Regarding PSA. It is not an indicator of having cancer or not having cancer. It is a test that indicates prostate issues which can be cancer, BPH, infections, etc. So that test indicates a need to, or not, to do more testing.

Having a high PSA does not mean you have PC nor does a normal PSA number mean you don't. What is important is if there is increasing climbing PSA numbers, a very high number, and/or you have symptoms. With PC it is the increasing PSA numbers over time that were my caution light not my PSA number.

In my case my PSA was 3.75 when diagnosed with PC. So it is not just a PSA test that can diagnose PC. My PCP was concerned with rising PSA numbers over time (I had no sypmtoms of BPH) and referred me to urologist who did a MRI with contrast and then a MRI/Fusion biopsies which confirmed PC.

You had only 1 score of 3+4=7. Look up what Gleason scores mean. The most concerning number is the 7 but where the numbers are 3+4 or 4+3 =7 do mean different things. The 3 listed first means most of the biopsied is at a 3 versus the 4 first as being most at 4. Bottom line though is have a 7 indicates issues with abnormal prostate cells indicating PC.

From your post I do not see your doctors discussed with you the Decipher test or the PSMA test. Both of these test can really fine tune your diagnosis and help with any decisions you are your doctors need to make.

I list the above information from my Mayo urologist, R/Os at both Mayo and UFHPTI. I was shown graphs that explained what I posted above so I am posting information directly related to my experience with PC.

At the level of your Gleason score you have so many different choices of treatments. You need to discuss all those options with your urologist and R/O if you referred to them. Ask the pros and cons of all and then do your own research on major medical instutions like Mayo, Cleveland Clinic, John Hopkins, etc.

Ask your doctors about getting a Decipher test which is a genetic test to give you a more accurate result of your risk level than a Gleason Score can give. A PSMA would determine if any cancer has moved outside your prostate.

You are at the beginning of your journey. Know that only you and your doctors know your full medical and mental health history to diagnose, and give your treatment options. If you have doubts get second and third opinions. Many second opinions can be done merely by sending your medical records to another medical facility.

@seekingclarity
If you are going to have PC your numbers are what most of us would like to have. Does that help?

Regarding PSA. It is not an indicator of having cancer or not having cancer. It is a test that indicates prostate issues which can be cancer, BPH, infections, etc. So that test indicates a need to, or not, to do more testing.

Having a high PSA does not mean you have PC nor does a normal PSA number mean you don't. What is important is if there is increasing climbing PSA numbers, a very high number, and/or you have symptoms. With PC it is the increasing PSA numbers over time that were my caution light not my PSA number.

In my case my PSA was 3.75 when diagnosed with PC. So it is not just a PSA test that can diagnose PC. My PCP was concerned with rising PSA numbers over time (I had no sypmtoms of BPH) and referred me to urologist who did a MRI with contrast and then a MRI/Fusion biopsies which confirmed PC.

You had only 1 score of 3+4=7. Look up what Gleason scores mean. The most concerning number is the 7 but where the numbers are 3+4 or 4+3 =7 do mean different things. The 3 listed first means most of the biopsied is at a 3 versus the 4 first as being most at 4. Bottom line though is have a 7 indicates issues with abnormal prostate cells indicating PC.

From your post I do not see your doctors discussed with you the Decipher test or the PSMA test. Both of these test can really fine tune your diagnosis and help with any decisions you are your doctors need to make.

I list the above information from my Mayo urologist, R/Os at both Mayo and UFHPTI. I was shown graphs that explained what I posted above so I am posting information directly related to my experience with PC.

At the level of your Gleason score you have so many different choices of treatments. You need to discuss all those options with your urologist and R/O if you referred to them. Ask the pros and cons of all and then do your own research on major medical instutions like Mayo, Cleveland Clinic, John Hopkins, etc.

Ask your doctors about getting a Decipher test which is a genetic test to give you a more accurate result of your risk level than a Gleason Score can give. A PSMA would determine if any cancer has moved outside your prostate.

You are at the beginning of your journey. Know that only you and your doctors know your full medical and mental health history to diagnose, and give your treatment options. If you have doubts get second and third opinions. Many second opinions can be done merely by sending your medical records to another medical facility.

@jc76 good explanation. Thank you. As you mentioned PSA is just a number. Mine was 1.1. No increase from previous. I had cancer.