Prayers for a full and speedy recovery.

Kick cancer's ass.

Man all I can say is think positive, don't give up and look for every alternative you can find for best treatment.

Go for the best you can get, You deserve it.

Brain Tumors are normally attacked with X-ray beams (which releases radiation but it also destroys healthy tissue in front of and behind the tumor itself) and Chemo.

The Mayo Clinic in the summer of 2015 and in 2016 will complete two Proton Beam cancer treatment facilities. High energy Proton beams can be finely directed at brain cancers (instead of the conventional radiation) with much less damage to surrounding healthy tissues and delivering a much greater lethal dose to cancer cells then conventional radiation treatment.

When fully operational in 2017, the proton therapy program will employ more than 250 new staff members, including 22 doctors and 29 physicists.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/proton-beam-therapy/proton-therapy-facilities

note: Proton therapy is painless and allows patients to continue their normal activities

It sounds like you've come through some tough situations before so hang in there and positive thoughts for this one too. Sending best wishes and positive thoughts your way.

DetCord, you obviously had to be strong to recover from the previous wounds you mentioned. This time it's a different variation... you have to willingly walk into this 'firefight' knowing that you will take the hits from the 'bullets' and 'frags' because that is your best path to victory over this latest enemy.

I don't know if the treatment plan already includes psychological/spiritual counseling for you (and even your girlfriend/family)... if it is offered I suggest you accept it, and if it isn't I suggest you inquire about it. You may not be used to thinking in terms of treatment outside of the physical elements, but this is a fight where you want to avail yourself of every available weapon. Your mental and emotional states can make a difference!

Certa vivere, vive ut pugnarent!

I will pray for you and yours.

I'm not a praying man but I wish you best of luck and an easy treatment.

Ugh. Maybe you should go back and brush up on your high school physics and biology before posting propaganda.

????

My wife's aunt had a brain tumor about 18 yrs ago. She leads a normal life today. Prayers for the same to you.

Crossing fingers for you, Det! Keep up the good spirit

I have to agree with shan2... that strikes me as a bit too much hyperbole.

The advantage that proton therapy has over x-rays, is that it can be focused/tuned such that the beam stop s at the tumor, instead of zinging on through and damaging tissue on the far side of the tumor. The tissue on the front side of the tumor (relative to the radiation emitter) is still going to have high energy protons (positively charged particles) zipping through it, and receiving damage. It seems highly unlikely that patients are going to be pain-free and going about normal activities while undergoing a course of proton beam therapy.

It should be a LOT better than x-ray therapy, especially with the pencil beam type of proton beam therapy, but it's not likely to be all sunshine and lollipops.

13 year survivor here. You can do it, DetCord. Believe it.

No brain tumor is sunshine and lollipops .... but I doubt the Mayo Clinic and others are investing 700 million/1 billion into these facilities and machines if they are not going to be making people healthy again, and likely with a lot less pain and a much better prognosis and less "collateral damage"

The x-rays used in cancer treatments are gamma rays with a frequency range that put them in the x-ray classification. Cancers are harder to kill than normal cells. The way we get around that issue is to have multiple low energy beams that intersect at a particular point in space. The larger the number of emitters, the lower the dose of radiation outside the point of convergence.

This doesn't magically change because you accelerate protons instead of neutrons.

Edit

The shameless bastards actually have a donation link on their webpage.

Why don't you explain how it works, if you're so sure of it

Well shan2 I'm sure you're the expert but it seems the other experts at Mayo and at least one other facility disagree with you. The University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute would also disagree with you that they are "shameless bastards"

And also shan2 ..... one of the best cancer centers in the United States, MD Anderson Cancer Center ....would also disagree with your evaluation of them as "shameless bastards". They also have a proton radiation brain tumor center.

Guys, I hate to see this thread of well wishing for DetCord get derailed this way.

If there are complaints about some clinic or their actions or claims, certainly this thread isn't the best place to pursue them.

Why? Do they have a donation link on the same webpage where they tout their future achievements?

Your ignorance of the subject is noted.

My apologies to DetCord.

Edit:

In case you decide to pursue proton radiation therapy, DetCord, you should know that there has been no improvement in outcomes versus the gamma radiation. However the treatment is vastly more expensive.

I think we've gotten both sides of the story now.
Maybe DetCord can make his own judgement call after investigating both opinions.
I'm sure 'everyone' posting here is more concerned with DetCords health and future, and not who is right and who is wrong. Hope we don't lose focus.

I appreciate both sides for giving advice, I know Shan actually works in that field.
Perhaps he has access to information others here don't.
I'm aware that medicine, at times, is trumped by money.

Everyone here, is trying to help DetCord make an 'educated' decision.
In the end, the decision of what direction to take, will be his.
All we can do it put out the ideas, and let him make his choice.

I appreciate 'all' the information given in good conscience.