Comments on: Is High-Tech Cancer Therapy Too Costly?

Proton Beam Radiation Treatment Is At Heart Of Debate Over Rising Health-Care Costs

[walton21029]

Now on with "our" story.

Living near Baltimore I decided to use an Urologist at Hopkins starting at age 50. I knew it was a matter of time before I would be diagnosed with prostate cancer (PCa). In 2001 at age of 62 my latest biopsy showed PCa. I had a PSA of 13 and a Gleason of 6. My urologist said that I should check out all of my options and that surgery was just one. He arranged for us to see several specialist which all said they had the perfect treatment. Talking with men who had been treated for PCa they would say that they were fine after surgery or radiation. As conversations went on more things came out. One friend says he wears Depends(5 yrs now) Another sufferes from ED. We remember someone who had gone to CA for treatment. He was cancer free for 5+ years at the time & had no side effects that the other men had said. I told the urologist at proton treatment and he thought I should check it out.(In the meantime he has had several of his patients call us so we could tell them of our experience with Proton Therapy) Our insurance paid for our trip to CA for evaluation. LLMC said that I was a excellent candidate and while there our HMO insurance approved the treatment. The two months that we spent at Loma Linda left my wife and I in the best physical shape that we had been in. I am now 6 years cancer free and do not suffer from many of the other side effects that our friends described "as I am ok". My PSA still is around 1.1.

[drifty6]

How do you put a price tag on a good outcome from radiation therapy and a cancer cure? What price do you pay for a normal life after treatment? Is incontinence and radiation burns to healthy tissue or permanent impotence worth saving money? I am glad my husband is cancer-free after his proton-beam treatments for prostate cancer nearly 5 years ago.

[hefdon]

When I received the news in Dec. 2006 that I had prostate cancer my wife and I researched all of our options. There are many. None that provide the benefits of proton therapy. Financially insurance took care of us but we were prepared to pay if insurance didn''t. The quality of life following treatment easily outweighed the cost. At 59, I have lots of life to live and enjoy with my wife and family. Loma Linda Medical Center and proton therapy provided that option.

[hallaw]

The proton therapy treatment I had at Loma Linda in September 2000 has been extraordinaryily successful, in all respects. I have had no adverse side effects; no incontinence, no sexual impotence, nor any other problems. Yes, it is somewhat expensive, but totally covered by medicare. I investigated all modalities of treatment and am firmly convinced that the proton treatment is the only way to go. I believe that the doctors who favor other treatments, do so for self-interest reasons.
Harold C. Horwitz

[abiggerplate]

Regarding the high cost, you failed to mention the after care cost dealing with the side affects of surgery.

Before I started my proton treatment for prostate cancer, I attended a seminar selling more surgery to fix the damage done by surgery. Implants, valves..... Yikes!

Having completed proton treatment about 12 weeks ago, I couldn''t be happier with the outcome. Regarding the cost, those patients without insurance were gladly paying about $ 40,000.00 for the treatment, not the $100,000 that the hospital bills which is discounted or not paid in full by insurance.

As more centers are built economies of scale should lower the cost.

[rms1001]

"Certain rare cancers"? This is a misleading statement, a strawman, and it detracts from the real issue. Proton Beam Therapy is effective for inoperable tumors, not just "rare cancers", in addition to prostate cancer and many other cancers. It is non-invasive and preserves the patient''s quality of life. As far as cost is concerned, there is something very telling in the fact that insurance companies and Medicare don''t shrink from covering the cost of Proton treatment. Perhaps they realize that the cost of follow-on treatment is statistically less that with conventional treatment.

Would Dr. Stock choose to accept for himself the definite possibility of ED, incontinence, infection, loss of bladder control, long recovery time, peripheral tissue damage, impotence? Does he prefer that people like me should have to face those possibilities?

I received Proton Beam Therapy for prostate cancer in 2005 at Loma Linda University Medical Center. I am still cancer free and have experienced no reduction in quality of life.

[walton21029]

First of all I would like to ask CBS why they would go to Mass General as the authority on proton treatment. I guess the closeness of the facility would be the answer. I would not have recommended they went to Jacksonville, FL or to MD Anderson as they are all new facilities. Just as when you are seeking medical advice you go to the facility which has been doing it the longest! I feel that it would be only fair if you did a follow up story and went to Loma Linda to get their view. Or how about interviewing more people regarding their Quality of Life. Quality of Life is one of the most important things that we want regardless of the cost.

Now on with "our" story. I say our story because our spouses are very much involved when you are diagnosed with cancer. I will continue it on my next post due to the length on what we want to say.

[penbfl]

I would echo the many posts on this topic. I was treated with Proton Therapy at Loma Linda in 2007 for prostate cancer. My PSA has dropped dramatically and I have experienced none of the side effects associated with surgery or traditional radiation. I am thankful this treatment was available.

In investigating treatment for my disease I found that the medical field is highly political and territorial. I heard many stories of patients being shunned by their long time physicians when they chose Proton Therapy over more traditional treatment (i.e. surgery or a "local" radiation facility). With the vast number of very positive reports from proton patients one of only arguments left is the one of cost. I have no doubt that this territorialism what influenced this report piece.

Consider for a moment that the cost of all existing and planned Proton Treatment facilities will cost less than 18 months of the Iraq
War.

[lsageinaz]

"Travesty" defined: debased, distorted, or grossly inferior imitation of the truth. Shame on you CBS. Your story falls short of telling even a half truth. I would have thought that you had learned your lesson about distorted truths. Dr. Senay''s response to Ms. Couric, "that is one way to look at it" suggests that she may not even be aware of the whole truth. The cynic in me suggests that she was provided a script by one or more HMOs or surgeons who are trying to protect their bottom line by ignoring new technology. As we all know by now HMO''s focus on a healthy bottom line, not healthy people. And surgeons typically think surgery is the best alternative. Why would they do otherwise? They make their living by doing surgery.

I am a cancer survivor, thanks to the miracle of proton therapy. Proton was my choice based on my own research. My urologist recommeded ONLY surgery, thus ignoring data compiled over nearly two decades and thousands of cures.

All of the other respondents have explained the benefits of protons over surgery. All I can do is echo those words. Neither you, CBS, nor I can put a dollar value on cure combined with quality of life attainable via proton beam therapy. I can only urge you to update your story with a more balanced look at the facts....and maybe some of the comments from this column....the people who REALLY know what they are talking about.

[shooter1114]

cost of any medical treatment must also consider many other factors,complications of the treatment, secondary treatment, quality of life post trearment and many other factors. Proton therapy is so outstanding many centers are rushing to install facilities like the one a Loma Linda University where my prostate cancer was treated. Please look further into proton therapy and the cost effectiveness will become obvious.
J. Edson Price Jr. M.D. FACS

[shooter1114]

cost of any medical treatment must also consider many other factors,complications of the treatment, secondary treatment, quality of life post trearment and many other factors. Proton therapy is so outstanding many centers are rushing to install facilities like the one a Loma Linda University where my prostate cancer was treated. Please look further into proton therapy and the cost effectiveness will become obvious.
J. Edson Price Jr. M.D. FACS

[g0alie11]

I am one year post treatment for prostate cancer using Proton Beam Therapy. My PSA level is 0.91 and I had no side effects. My bladder control is fine and my *** life couldn''t be better. Proton Beam Therapy was never mentioned as an option by my Urologist, he mentioned everything but that. Maybe because he wasn''t able to make money off of it. It''s those same Urologists that were interviewed for the segment of CBS Evening News. They don''t want to recommend Proton Therapy until they can make money off of it. One of their reasons given is it''s still experimental. It''s not, insurance covers it and Loma Linda''s been doing it successfully for over 20 years now. There IS a big difference besides the huge costs, it''s the quality of life afterwords and that far outweighs the costs of the treatments. There''s five places around the country right now doing the treatments and in the next five years ther will be five more. Move over all you Hot Shot Doctors that only think with your bottom line, there''s a new sheriff in town and it''s Proton Beam Therapy. My hat goes off to Dr. Jerry Slater for his research and development of this procedure. For if it weren''t for him I would probably be in diapers and thinking about the good old days when I was able to perform.

[hosey4]

I am today a "CANCER FREE" 74 year young Texan who will be forever grateful for Proton Beam Radiation and Loma Linda University Medical Center. In 2002 I was diagnosed with Prostate cancer, PSA of 5.75 and a Gleason 6 cancer. I finished my treatments in January 2003 and have had no side effects to date. My PSA is now .137 and is checked every six months. When you consider cost, one must also include the productivity of five years of full work without loss of time, dignity nor loss of activities.

[daneicher]

I had my PROTON therapy at Loma Linda in January 2000. My PSA remains 0.3. I have had no side effects. No price is too great to pay for continence and potency. I know too many horror stories from surgery. I am grateful to my Urologist for recommending PROTON therapy. Thanks Dr. Welton, Waterloo, IA.

[lwadams00]

I am a graduate of proton beam for prostate cancer. It is almost unbelievable. Cured without any side effects. Cost? A treatment center can be built for about the cost of one advanced technical jet fighter. Hats off to Loma Linda Medical Center.

[lwadams00]

I am a graduate of proton beam for prostate cancer. It is almost unbelievable. Cured without any side effects. Cost? A treatment center can be built for about the cost of one advanced technical jet fighter. Hats off to Loma Linda Medical Center.

[lwadams00]

I am a graduate of proton beam for prostate cancer. It is almost unbelievable. Cured without any side effects. Cost? A treatment center can be built for about the cost of one advanced technical jet fighter. Hats off to Loma Linda Medical Center.

[chemprof2]

As a new faculty member in the Chicago area I remember well when I heard about Robert Wilson''s idea to use protons for cancer treatment. Little did I know that I would take advantage of his insight for my prostate cancer treatment. I had no hesitation of what I should do when I learned Loma Linda had a clinical facility operating. The value of such facilites far outweigh the cost compared to the amount of money wasted by government for dubious projects. The worth of the technique is apparent in the number facilites which have developed many of which have been in the forefront of cancer research. I have been able to return to all my previous activities with a PSA now below 0.7 without collateral damage. The only cost to me fortunately was only for living expenses at and travel to Loma Linda since Medicare and my secondary covered it all. As a scientist I strongly recommend the procedure as a superior method compared to others.

[halvardt]

In November 2001 I received the diagnosis of Prostate Cancer. I was living in Massachusetts and had available world-class medical care. I explored surgery with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, conferring with a genuinely caring surgeon of Harvard urology. I explored traditional radiation. I explored radioactive "seeds" implants at the recommendation of my urologist who told me proton beam therapy was "experimental". I went to Mass General to discuss proton beam therapy and was told they were not quite ready for prostate treatment. The physician encouraged me to explore the experienced staff at Loma Linda, California. I was quick to do so a few weeks later. I learned that the track record of LLUMC and prostate treatment was longer than the 10 years required to remove it from "experimental" status, and the results were equal to or better than surgery, considered the "gold standard" at the time! I also discovered that the seeds implant treatment was less than ten years! I frequently compared notes with a physician friend who had experienced traditional radiation for prostate cancer . . . he was dumbfounded at the quality of life I enjoyed during treatment and following by comparison to his own experience. Today my PSA remains below 1.0 and I enjoy life as if there never had been cancer. Meantime, Proton beam therapy has continued to expand into many centers and many additional cancers and tumors. Let''s not be quick to understimate its value based on price alone!

[mycotoxin]

I am 69 years old and a survivor of prostate cancer which was treated at Loma Linda University Medical Center 5 yrs ago and my PSA is now non-detect; down from a pretreatment level of 9.7. The cost of treatment was well worth it as I experienced no side effects and maintained a rather rigourous exercise routine during treatment with daily swimming, running and weight training. During the past 5 years I have had no incontinence, loss of sexual desire, ED or any of the other side effects that were experienced by my brother that had a prostectomy. He now is being treated for metastatic prostatic cancer. My quality of life is very good and I can only be thankful that I received proton therapy regardless of the price. How do you put a price tag on something that is so efficacious and allows the patient to have a renewed outlook on life after receiving a cancer diagnosis?Protons have done that for me.