Protons, RP, or Laproscopic

I know I usually focus on proton therapy, but I saw this article and reminded at just how focused the medical community is on their "gold standard". In my book the "gold standard" is proton beam therapy. The medical community just hasn't caught up yet. No hospital stay and less than 1% of bladder issues. It's not rocket science to make a decision given those percentages.

Results are similar for men with prostate cancer whether they have open surgery or laparoscopic surgery, a new study has found.
Currently, open radical prostatectomy (ORP) is considered the standard treatment but the use of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP), with or without robotic assistance, is becoming more widespread.
In the new study, researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City compared ORP and LRP outcomes in nearly 6,000 men, age 66 or older, with localized prostate cancer.
After they adjusted for patient and tumor characteristics, the researchers found no differences in the rates of general medical/surgical complications, genital/urinary/bowel complications, or in use of post-operative radiation and/or androgen deprivation.
Patients in the LRP group had a 35 percent shorter hospital stay and a lower rate of bladder neck/urethral obstruction, the study authors noted.
"All men considering radical prostatectomy should be clearly informed about the differences between the two techniques and similarities in their expected outcomes, and make treatment decisions in collaboration with an experienced surgeon," Dr. William T. Lowrance and colleagues wrote in their report, which is published in the Feb. 22 issue of the Journal of Urology.

Have a good Thursday.
Blessings,
Rick