Cancer proton therapy is new and revolutionary because it offers non-invasive cancer treatment that works differently than other treatments but has still shown to have positive outcomes. Proton treatment has many positives which make it a better decision when it comes to head and neck cancer treatment, breast cancer treatment or any other cancer treatment.
Precision
This type of treatment helps, minimize exposure to good tissues. It allows treatment to be targeted at only the tumor, while leaving healthy tissue unharmed. Magnets are used to steer the proton beam to the correct position that it is needed. Beams can also be precisely targeted so that they can directly hit the tumor and not harm the skin around the tumor. This is especially vital when going through head and neck cancer treatment.
Recurring Tumors
Another good thing about proton therapy is the fact it can be used to treat tumors that were previously treated. Even tumors that were showing progress and then regrew. Individuals undergoing other treatments for tumors that recurred can undergo proton therapy successfully.
Quality of Life
Patient who undergo proton therapy to treat cancer experience an increase in quality of life over other cancer treatments. The treatment itself if not invasive and typically lasts less than an hour with actual treatment lasting one to two minutes, and the course of treatment lasting from one day up to nine weeks.
Effective for Pediatrics
Pediatrics can benefit from proton therapy to treat cancers and tumors. Since pediatric bodies are not done growing, and continue to grow at an incredible rate, trying to figure out the best course of treatment can be touch. Proton therapy eliminates this hassle and provides a much easier treatment plan for smaller patients.
Proton therapy decreases radiation by over 50% in patients. Over 23,000 adults and almost 5,000 children are diagnosed with cancerous tumors each year.This type of therapy helps to give those suffering from these conditions some options when it comes to their treatment plans, rather than relying on just one treatment option. Great references here.