Radiation Cancer Treatments Can Help Many Patients Face Difficult Situations

Few things are more devastating than getting a cancer diagnosis. The fact that there are a number of reliable treatments available, however, can make the news slightly more manageable. From treatment options for prostrate cancer to proton radiation therapy plans for other kinds of cancers, knowing that you have a treatment plan in place can often help you or a loved one face the upcoming challenges.
One of the more popular and effective treatment options for prostrate cancer and other types of cancer is the use of proton beam radiation. In an effort to target a very specific area and to minimize the side effects of treatment to a larger area, more and more doctors are looking at proton cancer treatment options. And while radiation treatment for cancer is nothing new, the targeted approach that is employed with proton treatments is.
Proton therapy is a radiation type that stops at a very specific point in the tissue that is targeted. In comparison, the effects of conventional radiation continues beyond the tumor. In breast cancer, for instance, the use of proton therapy means an average of no radiation to the heart and an average of 50% less radiation to the lung when compared with conventional radiation.
This type of treatment appears to be especially effective in the case of prostrate cancer. In fact, because of the proton therapy?s targeted approach studies have indicated that prostate cancer patients treated using this method have a significantly reduced risk of impotence. Specifically, 94% of men indicate that they remain sexually active after this kind of treatment.
Although the news of cancer is often frightening, knowing that the treatment options for prostate cancer can be so targeted may help you face the battle. Making sure that you talk to your doctor and ask about all of the treatment options for prostate cancer, or any other kind of cancer for that matter, means that you can feel as if you have taken the time to explore all of your options.
A proton therapy treatment session typically only lasts 15 to 45 minutes, and the actual time spent delivering the protons to the tumor is generally only about a minute or two. This means that these treatments might also help you find it easier to schedule these important appointments.