Since you are interested in learning more about advanced cancer treatment options, have you encountered information on proton cancer treatment? This non-invasive cancer treatment uses a specific type of radiation that will stops at a designated point in the targeted tissue. This is considerably more exact than conventional radiation, which will continue beyond the tumor and into the surrounding tissue.

Treating Breast Cancer

With breast cancer, the surrounding tissue that can be affected by conventional radiation is the heart and lungs. With proton cancer treatment, this means that the heart will not receive any radiation, and there will he 50% less radiation that can affect the lungs.

Treating Prostate Cancer

For prostrate cancer, proton therapy can significantly reduce the risk of impotence. Studies have revealed that this has been the case with 94% of participants that reported they were able to be sexually active following proton treatment.

Another significant benefit of proton treatment is that after following up 5 years later, researchers found that they men they had treated were showing no signs of their cancer returning. More specifically, the research showed the following non-recurrence results:

Low-risk patients: 99%

• Intermediate-risk patients: 94%
• High-risk patients: 74%

Another benefit of proton therapy is that less radiation reaches the gastrointestinal system and other healthy tissue. Studies have shown with proton therapy, there is 59% less radiation than X-rays. Furthermore, there is up to 60% less radiation that affects the areas surrounding the tumor or tumors.

Basic Treatment Program

Proton therapy will usually begin 4 to 6 weeks after receiving surgery or chemotherapy. The overall time frame for receiving treatment is generally 6 weeks. Even though the treatment session will last between 15 to 45 minutes, it only takes 1 to 2 minutes to direct the protons to the tumor.

The Future of Proton Therapy for Cancer Treatment

RNCOS’ “US Proton Therapy Outlook 2017” reported that there would be 27 operational proton therapy centers in 2017. In the United States, over 31,000 people have already received proton therapy, and it is estimated that there have been over 64,000 people treated across the globe.

If you would like to know more about proton therapy, you can contact a treatment center for more information. Proton therapy has also been used for head and neck cancer.