“Just Fix It” Attitude and Proton Therapy Get Charles Through Prostate Cancer

This no-nonsense approach was precisely how Charles dealt with his prostate cancer diagnosis. Compared with many other cancers, prostate cancer grows slowly. When it is found early, there are a number of treatment choices available. Active surveillance, surgery and radiation therapy are the standard therapy choices for early-stage prostate cancer, and each has benefits and risks. Active surveillance involves holding off treatment and closely watching for any sign the cancer may be growing or changing. Charles says his feeling was, “If I’ve got cancer, let’s take care of it. Why do I want to wait for something to get worse?”

After talking with his physician brother-in-law, Charles began to research proton therapy as a possible treatment for his prostate cancer. Proton therapy is a type of radiation therapy using protons to treat some types of cancer, including prostate cancer. When he reached out to a doctor in Minnesota, where he assumed he would find the best provider, that doctor recommended he visit Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University in Atlanta. Winship provides the only proton therapy in Georgia at the Emory Proton Therapy Center, which celebrates its 5th anniversary in December 2023.

About Emory Proton Therapy Center

The experienced physicians and specialists at the Emory Proton Therapy Center will work closely with you to develop the most effective treatment plan with the fewest potential side effects. If you want to learn more about proton therapy, visit emoryproton.com. Cancer patients, caregivers, or physicians with a patient needing consultation can schedule by calling 1-833-3PROTON (1-833-377-6866) where an Emory Proton Therapy Center professional will promptly respond to your phone call.