Treated 2000 · Posted 2003 · Updated 2015 

When Charles was first diagnosed, he chose hormones and Cryosurgery. Then his PSA rose to 15. Next came Proton. PSA is 0.02 four years after treatment.

Most everybody already knows this. Prostate cancer is a big business. It became apparent to me that many physicians are quite narrow-minded when it comes to offering advice.

My cancer was first detected in Houston in the fall of 1992. PSA around 6, and a Gleason of 6. In this case my urologist told me that because of its location, the apex, I should undergo radiation. He was against the radical prostatectomy.

I then went to a well-known urologist and he convinced me that the best solution was nerve-sparing surgery. So everything was lined-up for a prostatectomy, when a friend told me about Cryosurgery (I had remarried in 1993 and the last thing I wanted was to be impotent!).

I went up to Rochester MI to talk to a specfic doctor who, as it turned out, was not available so I spoke to his # 2. They did 6 more biopsies and I was told that they could freeze the part of the prostate with the cancer and spare the nerves. Today they would freeze the whole prostate.

I went on combined hormone therapy for 6 months, and underwent the cryo in early 1994. Unfortunately the cryo did not get all of the cancer and over the next 4 years my PSA slowly climbed back from 0.6 to around 15. I probably hold the world record in biopsies, over 50 during that period! Yet they could find no evidence of cancer.

It wasn’t until 99 when, by a quirk, my regular doctor was not in and another doctor did the biopsies. He found the cancer and advised me not to have a 2nd cryo treatment, but to go the radiation route. By this time I had heard of Loma Linda and proton treatment, so the rest is pretty much history.

When I went to Loma Linda in early 2000 I was given proton and photon. Today, almost four years later, my PSA is .02! My only regret is that I didn’t find out about proton a lot sooner.

Update: 2015

It has now been 15 years since my proton treatment. I am in excellent health. Prior to proton, I underwent cryosurgery and it was unsuccessful. Then I had proton treatment followed by photon radiation. Had I known about proton in 1996, I would have gone straight to Loma Linda University Cancer Center. Oh yes - and My PSA? It is .02!

"I have not spent one dollar on medicines or follow-up procedures in my 20 years post-proton treatment."
- Wayne Swartz, BOB Member
"You owe it to yourself and to those who love you to safeguard your quality of life. Surgery will not do that ... proton therapy can."
- Jeannie Chase, Spouse
- Warren Johns, BOB member
"15 years have passed since exposure to the penetrating power of the proton and the superb medical skills of the 'beam team.'”
"The procedure was a breeze. It has been 10 years and I feel GREAT.”
- Tom Wright, BOB member
"As long as I live, I will do everything I can to spread the word about proton treatment.”
- Jim Tuggey, BOB member
"I am celebrating 8 years post-treatment with no recurrence, no side effects, and not one more penny for medications."
Robert T. Gore, M.D. F.A.C.O.G.

 


The Purcell's fairy tale life came to a halt when the doctor diagnosed Pat with prostate cancer. 

Little did they know that 25 years earlier, a doctor 1,200 miles away risked his entire career to pioneer proton treatment with virtually no side effects. “Against All Odds” follows a couple’s desire to fight cancer and unveils the historical account of a doctor’s passion to discover a better treatment option.

Watch the video.


Questions? Ask us anything.

Proton Therapy Advantages:

· Less damage to healthy tissue
· Non-invasive, painless

· Outpatient setting
· No recovery time
· Lower chance of recurrence
· Few, if any, side effects

Want to talk to former proton patients? Just ask.


You Can Beat Prostate Cancer — NEW Edition Available

Written by former proton therapy patient and BOB founder, Robert Marckini

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