Re: Loma Proton Therapy Plus 4 months!

November 3, 2011

Congrats Glen. I had proton beam therapy at the Proton Beam Center in the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and ended my treatment on Sept 16, 2011. I only had 28 treatments, supposedly at the dose equivalent to that of more extended treatments, but at a higher average daily doseage. I get my blood drawn next month. Meanwhile, I am still on Lupron, and have mild warm flashes, and go around the house arranging flowers. I met seven Loma grads at a wonderful dinner in Connecticut hosted by the President of Loma and some of his staff. The proton beam survivors had wonderful stories to tell about how they had searched for the best option and ended up at Loma , and enjoyed their stay in the University sponsored apartment suits, and playing golf and tennis and driving aroound and exploring Southern California on weekends. Regards and best of luck to you. Regards, T Poxon, Phila. For those of you who may not have known, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer last December with a PSA of 5.85; a Gleason Score of 4+3=7; and a Stage of T2c. This is considered to be â€œIntermediately Aggressiveâ€ cancer. Since my father also had prostate cancer, it demanded attention. I spent several months investigating various forms of treatment and interviewing many doctors before deciding to choose Proton Therapy at Loma University Medical Center in Loma , CA. They have been successfully treating prostate cancer using a proton beam for over 20 years and have an excellent track record for treatment and with little or no side effects. Last April, I loaded up my motorhome, and with Molly, our Havanese rescue dog, I moved to Loma for a period of 10 weeks (9 weeks of treatment and the system was down for a week!). July 1st, 45 treatments later, we headed back to Prescott Valley. Since we lived in the motorhome and I had wifi access to my computer, most of my clients never knew that I was out of the office! The treatments only take about 15 or 20 minutes including the set-up time so the rest of my day was free to work. Last week was my blood test and today was my 4 month doctorâ€™s follow up visit. I was told, that in four monthâ€™s time, I should expect my PSA to drop by 50% which would be 2.92. My blood test showed a PSA of 1.56 and my doctorâ€™s DRE said that Iâ€™m am in great shape. Better diet and more exercise have also resulted in better cholesterol numbersJ Iâ€™m happy and I wanted to share the good news with all of you! Glen R. Fotre

November 3, 2011

Wonderful results! Congratulations!

Coy

For those of you who may not have known, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer last December with a PSA of 5.85; a Gleason Score of 4+3=7; and a Stage of T2c. This is considered to be “Intermediately Aggressive” cancer. Since my father also had prostate cancer, it demanded attention.

I spent several months investigating various forms of treatment and interviewing many doctors before deciding to choose Proton Therapy at Loma University Medical Center in Loma , CA. They have been successfully treating prostate cancer using a proton beam for over 20 years and have an excellent track record for treatment and with little or no side effects.

Last April, I loaded up my motorhome, and with Molly, our Havanese rescue dog, I moved to Loma for a period of 10 weeks (9 weeks of treatment and the system was down for a week!). July 1st, 45 treatments later, we headed back to Prescott Valley. Since we lived in the motorhome and I had wifi access to my computer, most of my clients never knew that I was out of the office! The treatments only take about 15 or 20 minutes including the set-up time so the rest of my day was free to work.

Last week was my blood test and today was my 4 month doctor’s follow up visit. I was told, that in four month’s time, I should expect my PSA to drop by 50% which would be 2.92. My blood test showed a PSA of 1.56 and my doctor’s DRE said that I’m am in great shape. Better diet and more exercise have also resulted in better cholesterol numbersJ

I’m happy and I wanted to share the good news with all of you!

Glen R. Fotre

--

G. Coy

shootingcpa@...

" History does not entrust the care of freedom

to the weak or timid. " ... Dwight D. Eisenhower

November 4, 2011

Hello Glen,

I too finished up my treatment at Loma this last April. I researched all forms of treatment, and most importantly, interviewed patients, not doctors, about their treatment forms and results. Surgery had good results but with many horror stories of ED and incontinence. Brachytherapy had more positives than negatives, but a few were out there. When I studied Proton Beam therapy, over 150 people had no side effects, no issues, and said the experience itself was great for them.

My PSA was 10, Gleason 3+4 =7, t1C as well. My 4 month checkup came back at PSA 3.9 and DRE was very good. My urologist (who initially recommended surgery) asked why I chose PBT over his recommendation and I honestly told him my reasons. I was told that they performed one robotic surgery per week in order to be fresh and sharp, but when I was scheduled I was the 2nd in 3 consecutive days of surgery. I fired this urologist after this consultation/exam, and will seek a new one.

It is up to us to make our decision. Do not let a so called expert decide for you. This is the only way you can live with the form of treatment you decide on.

Good luck to all, and may your health be blessed and trouble free.

November 5, 2011

This is not my post. It has my name; However I am Rody. I will have

a post later...

Hello Glen,

I too finished up my treatment at Loma this

last April. I researched all forms of treatment, and

most importantly, interviewed patients, not doctors,

about their treatment forms and results. Surgery had

good results but with many horror stories of ED and

incontinence. Brachytherapy had more positives than

negatives, but a few were out there. When I studied

Proton Beam therapy, over 150 people had no side

effects, no issues, and said the experience itself was

great for them.

My PSA was 10, Gleason 3+4 =7, t1C as well. My 4

month checkup came back at PSA 3.9 and DRE was very

good. My urologist (who initially recommended surgery)

asked why I chose PBT over his recommendation and I

honestly told him my reasons. I was told that they

performed one robotic surgery per week in order to be

fresh and sharp, but when I was scheduled I was the 2nd

in 3 consecutive days of surgery. I fired this urologist

after this consultation/exam, and will seek a new one.

It is up to us to make our decision. Do not let a so

called expert decide for you. This is the only way you

can live with the form of treatment you decide on.

Good luck to all, and may your health be blessed and

trouble free.

November 6, 2011

....

> My PSA went from 3.7 to 7.4 in a four month period. This is

> with Prostate removed. Radiation is out of the question at this

> stage as I knew it would be. I then mentioned to him that

> Chemotherapy is basically worthless at this stage also. He

> never responded. After waiting in the Lobby for over an hour

> before being called back then another 1:30 wait in the patients

> room he came in. Prior to that his female PA came in a went

> over everything from my surgery in 2008. Thirty days post

> surgery PSA 0.9. 180 Day 3.7. November 3rd 7.4..The PA

> downplayed the " tissue left behind " and I asked her what was it

> then. She said something outside the gland. That is not in the

> final diagnosis report.

....

,

I doubt that there's much that I can add but I would like to give

you some encouragement.

How long you will live on ADT depends on how hormone sensitive

your cancer is, how soon you begin the treatment, and how good

your doctor is at figuring out the best treatments for you.

I have met many men on this and other lists who have lived 15

years on hormone therapy. Others have lived only a few years.

You won't know until you try.

I suggest that you go ahead and get the Lupron injection from

your urologist in order to start treatment as soon as possible.

He should also prescribe Casodex pills to take for a few weeks,

possibly starting before the injection, to prevent " testosterone

flair " that occurs in the first week of Lupron treatment, when

testosterone production goes up before it goes down.

Then I think you should find a medical oncologist to continue

treatment. Not all medical oncologists really know much about

prostate cancer but some know a lot and you should try to find

one like that. Others in this group might be able to help you

find a good one near you. From what I know, I suspect that the

best place to look is likely to be at one of the teaching and

research hospitals near you. See:

http://cancercenters.cancer.gov/cancer_centers/cancer-centers-list2.html

Some men are lucky in getting top medical care. They happen to

get a great doctor or get referred to one. Others make their own

luck. They learn a lot about the disease and the treatments and

they are able to question poor advice and recognize good advice.

They make it a point to seek out and find good doctors to help

them.

Eventually we're all going to die of something, but I think we

might as well try to prolong our lives and make the most of what

we are given. I don't think you should give up or get depressed.

If you're not happy with your doctor, find a better one. If you

don't like the treatments that can help you, find ways to live

with them and not let them get you down. You still have at least

some years to live. Don't give up on those years.

Best of luck to you.

Alan

November 12, 2011

> Hello again, Rody,

> HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of

> 1996) requirements necessitate that patients provide their

> physician authorization as to whom that physician may discuss

> your health and treatment. Your phone call may do it, or you

> may have to provide them written authorization for your

> daughter or anyone else you would okay discussing your health

> and treatment with the doctor.

....

I'm wondering if Rody, and the rest of us too, might benefit from

signing a " health care power of attorney " . If anyone searches

Google they'll find lots of sources for free, downloadable forms.

The idea is that if you have someone you trust to make decisions

for you, you can give that person a power of attorney to see your

health information and act for you. It's especially valuable if

something happens to you that causes you, for example, to go into

a coma or become mentally incapacitated. But I should think it

might cover this case too, where Rody just wants a family member

to be able to see his records so she can better advise him.

Perhaps there is a lawyer in this group who can enlighten us on

any advantages or disadvantages of having this.

Alan

November 13, 2011

To allow my wife to see my medical records

and talk to the doctors about my condition I just signed the HIPPA forms at my

doctor’s office. While being admitted the last time I went to the

hospital I signed a health care proxy (I think that is what they called it) it

gave my wife the power to make decisions for me. They was also the option

to keep it on file too. No need to get a lawyer involved.

From:

ProstateCancerSupport

[mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Alan Meyer

Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2011

12:21 AM

To:

ProstateCancerSupport

Subject: RE:

Loma Proton Therapy Plus 4 months!