Benefits of Proton Therapy

Proton therapy is a radiation treatment that precisely delivers the radiation dose to the tumor, allowing patients to receive highly targeted treatment with a lower risk of damage to healthy tissue near the tumor.¹ The benefits of which include:

• Precise targeting of tumors and cancer cells^4-6
• Less radiation to surrounding healthy tissue and organs^1-3
• Reduction of the short- and long-term side effects of radiation treatment^4-9
• Limitation of radiation induced secondary tumor^5-6
• Ability to treat in an area that has received prior radiation^5-6
• Improved quality of life during and after treatment⁸

Additionally, proton therapy may be appropriate for patients who have reached the limit of traditional radiation and for pediatric patients, who can benefit in particular from a reduced risk of long-term side effects.

Beneficial for children

Children’s bodies are still growing. This means they can have more serious short-term and long-term side effects from X-ray radiation than adults.^1,2 Research shows that proton therapy can reduce the risk of developmental and growth delays and abnormalities, reductions in IQ and other issues often linked with standard X-ray radiation. This is why proton therapy is often preferred when children need radiation treatment.

Effective in Treating a Broad Range of Tumors

Although tumors can be treated with surgery, chemotherapy and standard X-ray radiation, proton therapy can be particularly beneficial for patients with certain types of cancer and some non-cancerous tumors. The ability of protons to deposit more energy directly in the tumor makes proton therapy ideal for patients whose tumors are near critical organs or structures.