Our proton expert is Kieth Lundy.  He checks in fairly often, but if you
want answers sooner, I'm sure he'd be glad to hear from you at
keith340@webtv.net.

Sam...Just like HIFU, proton therapy has been discussed here before,
just search the newsgroup archives.  The seminal paper is "Proton
therapy for prostate cancer: the initial Loma Linda University
experience."; Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2004 Jun 1;59(2):348-52;
Slater JD, Rossi CJ Jr, Yonemoto LT, Bush DA, Jabola BR, Levy RP, Grove
RI, Preston W, Slater JM.

The article claims recurrence rates comparable to other modalities at
5-10 years post-treatment.  After reading the full paper, I'm not
convvinced.  One needs to consider that they use an ASTRO definition of
failue which reduces the recurrence rate anywhere from 8-35%, as
compared to the surgical DOF (PSA>0.2 ng/ml).  Only 7% of the patients
had GS>7 and still the overall 10-year recurrence free rate (ASTRO) was
around 73%.  Further complicating interpretation, 731 patients were
treated with proton + photon,  while 524 were treated with just
protons...Best wishes and good health, Ron

Hi Sam,

The link below to Loma Linda will give you some reading.  They are on of the
treatment centers for Proton Therapy.

http://search.llu.edu:8765/query.html?col=lluweb&col=news&qt=proton+therapy

Dwight