(Web) Extra: Read All About Proton Beam Therapy

proton radiation treatment.

I completed proton thearpy at M.D. Anderson, Houston last thanksgiving for prostate cancer. I have no significant side effects thusfar. I am 72 years old and lead a very active lifestyle as a full time rancher. I break texas longhorn steers to ride and participate in several parades/agricultural functions in the course of a year. Also cut quite a bit of firewood and spend a lot of time on a atv. I doubt that any of this would be possible or at least I would have been very limited if I had chosen any other treatment option.

side effects

My friend had this proton beam treatment at Loma Linda and experienced very bad side effects. After going back to Loma Linda several times he was eventually diagnosed with stage 5 radiation sickness. However, since they (Loma Linda) cured the cancer they would not do anything for the radiation sickness. After helping him find other doctors to help him myself,including Dr. Pantuck UCLA and Dr Parsons UCSD , he is functional and does not have to carry a bladder bag around with him anymore. Although he does experience a lot of pain to this day and it has been over 2 years since this proton beam treatment at Loma Linda. However, my biggest concern was when I posted this story on a supposedly non-biased prostate blog to warn people of this and they ended up locking me out of the website and erasing my blog. I wrote Loma Linda 7 handwritten letter of my own with my concerns of the treatment of my friend and then have never responded to any of my letters and additional email. Also I have corresponded with one other person that had similar side effect but not to this extreme but he did mention that Loma Linda treated him the same way when he complained of the side effects and he had to find treatment on his own. I think people should be warn that there could be extreme side effect and these side effects have happened before they decide on this treatment.. If you have had similar experience with Loma Linda and this treatment please contact me at bg@airmech.com Thank you, Jamie

men talk

A current Loma Linda patient (as of April 25 nine more treatments to go) I would like to take exception to " ...suggested that such patients may be more common than many think because men with medical problems tend not to be very vocal about them"

At least with in the group of patients we are very open. Maybe as patients we have the common bond of going through simillar experience and are more than willing to compare notes on treatment, side effects and solutions. Until this experience I have never had such open conversations about bodily functions with other men. There is no topic not acceptable.

Loma Linda Proton Therapy

Thanks for your article. I am 2/3 through and can report very insignificant side effects and a wonderful reception from a very patient friendly environment. Too early to tell about lasting side effects but I will be very forthcoming if there are any. To date, everything others told me about this place has been understated and I am delighted with the way they look after the total needs of the patient and the way the community responds to us as well, ie one of the local private country clubs with a terrific golf course allows Proton patients to join by paying the regular monthly dues at a slight premium over regular members but with no initiation fee. This encourages exercise, fresh air and comraderie with others.