Therapy
Traditional Radiation affects healthy tissue through the body
Proton Therapy beams can be targeted to the tumor, which does not affect healthy tissue through the body
Proton therapy is a powerful, practical, proven and non-invasive cancer-fighting tool that is growing across the United States and around the world. It was first used to treat patients in 1954, and received FDA approval in 1988. Unlike traditional radiation which uses photons, or x-rays, protons can deliver nearly all of their energy within a tumor. This protects healthy tissue and sensitive organs, resulting in few to no side effects. Proton therapy also offers patients a higher quality of life during and after treatment. Due to these advantages,
proton therapy has become a preferred treatment option for patients with cancerous tumors, especially those in sensitive locations such as near the brain, spine, heart and eye. The advantage of proton therapy comes from a phenomenon known as the Bragg Peak. Unlike photons, protons can be charged to reach the exact depth where a tumor is located, then stop. Virtually no proton radiation continues past the tumor site.
In recent years, proton therapy equipment advances have made proton therapy a growing, powerful, practical and proven cancer-fighting tool. Today, common proton therapy treatment areas include:
Bladder
Brain
Breast
Craniospinal
Eye
Gastrointestinal
Genitourinary
Gynecological
Head and neck
Intracranial
Liver
Lung
Lymphoma
Pancreatic
Pediatric Patients
Prostate
Patient receiving Proton Treatment