topic Re: Proton Therapy in Wellness

Proton Therapy

Puzzle Piece — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 16:22:28 GMT

I just heard about this treatment. Has anyone ever had it done and what do you think?

Re: Proton Therapy

hoosieroriginal — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 16:58:04 GMT

Do you mean Proton radiation therapy? No personal experience. But a friend's son who had brain cancer had proton radiation therapy. I just think his cancer was in a bad spot because he's really still struggling years later. But I hear the proton therapy zeros in just in the location it is needed and does not harm other body parts. Unfortunately, they closed our facility down a couple of years ago - too expensive and probably insurance wouldn't cover.

Re: Proton Therapy

Moonchilde — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 18:28:35 GMT

I know nothing about the cost or whether insurance does/doesn't cover it, but when I lived in SoCal a very prestigious major medical center "advertised" it for prostate cancer therapy specifically because of the precise targeting. No other hospital had the machine - which makes me wonder why.

Re: Proton Therapy

Puzzle Piece — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 18:38:46 GMT

@Moonchilde Those who have had excellent results will praise the procedure. I would imagine that the cost is rather steep. Might be that is why not every health care facility offers the procedure.

With cancer, there aren't guarantees that cells aren't growing in the body elsewhere. Having the procedure done one place can't ever gurantee the varmint won't show up somewhere else. Just life.

Re: Proton Therapy

Sunshine — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 21:23:35 GMT

When I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma 3 years ago, a clinic near us had just opened up a proton Therapy center. The treatment kills only the cancer cells. I wasn't eligible b/c my cancer was in the lymphatic system. So, I had 6 sessions of chemo. Knock on wood, my cancer is still in remission. 😊