Brotherhood of the Balloon

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Brotherhood of the Balloon

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The Brotherhood of the Balloon

The Brotherhood of the Balloon (BOB) is an organization consisting of more than 10,000 men who have chosen proton therapy for their prostate cancer treatment. We provide communication, education and support; we promote proton therapy for prostate cancer; and we give back to the institution that both saved our lives and preserved the quality of our lives.

10/13/2026

Exciting progress from Dr. Nancy Mendenhall and the COMPPARE research team! With 2,524 prostate cancer patients enrolled across 51 institutions, researchers are beginning to share important findings, with more insights expected as long-term follow-up continues. We're looking forward to seeing what the next several years reveal!

Five years after Dr. Nancy Mendenhall and her team completed enrollment of over 2,500 men with prostate cancer at 51 cancer institutes across the U.S., she has enough data to start presenting preliminary findings from their research. Here is a detailed update of Dr. Mendenhall's recent presentations and the key findings so far: https://bit.ly/4hRMFXr

She is excited to see what the continued follow-up with these 2,524 men will reveal to shape the future of prostate cancer care.

10/07/2026

This is why we're so excited about THERANOSTICS — and PLUVICTO.

Edwin Smith's prostate cancer had spread extensively throughout his bones, and his PSA was among the highest his physician at Loma Linda University Cancer Center had ever seen. Then he began Pluvicto treatment — an approach that uses highly targeted radioactive medicine to seek out and treat prostate cancer cells.

By the end of his first treatment cycle, Edwin's PSA had dropped nearly 80%. His mobility improved. Much of his pain subsided. And most importantly, he's been given something incredibly precious: more time.

Pluvicto isn't a cure, and it won't work for every patient. But Edwin's story is a powerful example of the promise of theranostics and just how dramatically treatment options for advanced prostate cancer are changing.

This is an incredible story — and absolutely worth watching. 💙

10/06/2026

Have you heard of "INFLAMMAGING"?

It's the chronic, low-level inflammation that develops in our bodies as we age — and researchers are paying close attention to its connection to aging, cancer and other age-related diseases.

Researchers at MD Anderson are studying what triggers this inflammation and, importantly, whether there may be ways to slow or interrupt the process.

Definitely worth a read!

Read more from MD Anderson:

The bond between aging and inflammation is so strong that scientists have come up with a new term for it: inflammaging. Learn more from Rugang Zhang, Ph.D., chair of Experimental Therapeutics at UT MD Anderson.

10/01/2026

Could PSMA PET/CT help some men avoid a prostate biopsy?

A new study found that PSMA PET/CT showed promising accuracy when used much earlier in the diagnostic process — in men with elevated PSA who had not yet been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Researchers say the findings could eventually help doctors better determine who actually needs a biopsy and who may not.

Very interesting development in prostate cancer diagnosis...

Read more 👇
https://www.meduniwien.ac.at/web/en/about-us/news/2026/news-in-september-2026/prostate-cancer-specialised-imaging-could-prevent-unnecessary-biopsies/

10/01/2026

A simple reminder that's always worth sharing. 💚

"Health is a treasure. Of all temporal possessions, it is the most precious." — Ellen G. White

“Health is a treasure. Of all temporal possessions, it is the most precious.”

- Ellen G. White

02/10/2026

Prostate cancer diagnostics are about to level up. 🚀

Alpenglow Biosciences and Virdx just announced a major, multi-year strategic collaboration to advance AI-enabled prostate cancer diagnostics—bridging radiology and pathology in a way that’s never been done before.

By combining:

🧠 MRI-based biophysics AI
🔬 Whole-tissue 3D pathology
⚡ NVIDIA-accelerated computing

…this partnership aims to improve diagnostic accuracy, reduce unnecessary interventions, and deliver more dignified, non-invasive care for patients.

This is what the future of cancer diagnostics looks like:
better data, faster insights, real impact.

Proud to see innovation like this pushing medicine forward. 💙

Learn more. 👇

Alpenglow Biosciences, a leader in AI-powered 3D pathology, today announced a strategic agreement with Virdx, a biophysics AI company focused on MRI-based ca...

02/09/2026

The tech is the most advanced form of radiation, delivering a targeted energy beam to tumors while sparing healthy tissue surrounding the site.

02/09/2026

👀 SNEAK PEEK: Feb. 2026 BOB Tales 👀

23 years. Millions of men. One big takeaway about PSA screening.

New long-term data from Europe confirms what many have suspected: structured PSA screening saves lives—but how and when you screen matters just as much.

So how do you balance early detection without unnecessary biopsies or overtreatment?

👉 We break it down in this month’s newsletter. COMING SOON to members...

02/06/2026

👀SNEAK PEEK: Feb. 2026 BOB Tales👀

PSA test normal? Prostate cancer could still be hiding.

A new urine test may spot cancer early—even when PSA doesn’t. This could change screening forever.

Get the details. 👇

This urine-based biomarker panel offers a promising sensitive and specific noninvasive diagnostic for PCa with the potential to form the basis for laboratory-developed and in vitro diagnostic assays.

12/26/2025

Merry Christmas to our members and their families! Wishing you all a holiday filled with peace, love, good health, and time with the people who matter most. Thank you for being such a supportive and caring community. ~ Bob and Deb🎄

Address

Boston, MA

Website

http://www.protonbob.com/

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