Physicians are able to deliver higher doses of radiation precisely to the site of the tumor. The outcome is a reduced risk of radiation damage to other organs such as the bladder and rectum, one of the major risks associated with conventional radiation therapy, as well as a reduced risk of incontinence commonly associated with other forms of prostate cancer treatment. Once the necessary photos have been taken, the treating physician traces on a computer screen the tumor or organ to be irradiated. Next, a group of physicists and dosimetrists create a treatment plan by generating a series of proton beams which are carefully designed to enter the patient at a variety of angles and targeting the tumor or target organ. A study of 645 men with prostate cancer at Loma Linda found that Proton Beam Radiation Therapy was as effective as radical prostatectomy four years after treatment.
Activities continue and momentum is building.
Since The March was first proposed last April, NCCS has received over 3,500 calls from individuals and dozens of organizations for more information about the campaign. NCCS has contacted close to 900 organizations in over 200 cities across the United States and the campaign is operating at both the grassroots and national levels. Regional survivorship coalitions have shown support including those in Florida, Cleveland, Washington, New England, Northern California and others. Along the way, an advocacy network is being built that acts on survivorship issues to be continued long after the big Washington event. When people realize that cancer poses the most serious threat to our nation, they will rank it near the top of national priorities.