Cancer Survivor Uses Not-So-Common Treatment

 

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) — Dick Guyton is not your ordinary Elvis fan. Elvis is his job.

As Executive Director of the Elvis Presley Memorial Foundation, he oversees the day to day operations of the Tupelo Birthplace site.

Guyton is quite thankful to be on the job because a little over three years ago he was diagnosed with prostrate cancer.

Guyton says while exploring his options he learned about a center in Knoxville Tennessee that uses proton technology to eradicate cancer.

“With a little checking I made an appointment to go to Knoxville and visit with those folks and I was very encouraged when I left there they accepted me as a patient. I spent about two months in Knoxville taking the proton therapy. I had 39 treatments. It’s been two years now since I finished my treatment and I am cancer free”, said Guyton.

Guyton says presently the Provision Center for Proton Therapy is treating more than 40 types of cancer.

He says it is much safer than traditional radiation treatment.

“The radiation burns all the way through to the tumor and it comes out the other side of tumor and damages the good tissue. The proton therapy is directed straight at the tumor and does not damage any other tissue other than the tumor”, said Guyton.

Guyton says one downside is that many insurance companies don’t cover proton therapy, but he says if you are over 65 years old, medicare will pay for it.

Guyton said there is also the requirement to stay in the Knoxville area.

Since successfully completing the treatment, two other members of the church that Guyton talked to decided to also go to Knoxville for the proton therapy Guyton recommends to anyone suffering with cancer.

“If you have a cancer that can be treated with proton therapy I would recommend it over anything else”, said Guyton, the member of Harrisburg Baptist Church.

Categories: Local News

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