Proton Cancer Treatment
Proton therapy is the most advanced method of radiotherapy for cancer. Tumor is “bombarded” by a beam of protons that can destroy cancer cells. Despite its effectiveness, this is the most gentle method of treatment, because high-precision radiation of an oncological formation does not harm healthy internal organs.
Proton therapy clinics successfully treat patients who have been diagnosed with diseases such as brain oncology, prostate cancer, oncological neoplasms of the eye, and other types of tumors. As a rule, located in hard-to-reach places for classical methods, where there is a risk of damage to healthy organs surrounding the malignant neoplasm.
Benefits of Proton Cancer Therapy
In the most difficult cases, proton cancer therapy proves to be the most effective, and in some even the only possible way to help the patient. The main advantages of this method of treating oncology are:
- Highly effective treatment. Proton radiation therapy, in comparison with photon rays, with its higher efficiency significantly increases the patient's chances of a full recovery. Such irradiation, due to its greater power, is especially effective in cases where the traditional effect did not give a positive result;
- Great penetration. Rays are able to penetrate to cancer cells that lie deep in the tissues of the body. High power can effectively destroy tumors that lie at a depth of 30 cm;
- Exposure Accuracy. The apparatus on which the procedure is performed is capable of pinpointly affecting the cells of malignant tumors, directing the fluxes of rays precisely to the target, without affecting other organs;
- A safer technique. Possible complications after a course of traditional radiotherapy in the long term are much higher. They are caused by side effects on the patient’s healthy organs. That is why this method of exposure is more preferable in pediatrics when working with small patients.
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How is proton therapy better than traditional radiation?
The main difference between cancer treatment with proton therapy and traditional radiology is that proton rays act exclusively on diseased tissue. With x-ray and more accurate photon radiation, radiation permeates the entire body. Therefore, healthy tissues adjacent to the tumor are also exposed to completely unnecessary radiation.
The facility used in proton therapy in oncology generates a beam and controls it in three dimensions. The penetration depth is controlled by controlling the power of the proton beam, delivering them to the damaged area. Under the action of high energy, harmful cells die due to the destruction of DNA at the cellular level, but at the same time healthy tissues located nearby remain intact.
What types of oncology are treated at the centers of proton radiation therapy?
The method is able to successfully fight most cancers, but it is especially good at treating tumors located in places that are difficult to access for classical methods. The course of proton therapy against cancer is effective and successfully used in such types of oncology:
- A brain tumor;
- Lungs' cancer;
- Neoplasms of the eyeball;
- Prostate cancer;
- Leukemia;
- Breast tumor;
- Lymphoma
- Neoplasms in the spine.
Treatment of pediatric oncology occupies a special place, since this technique is the most sparing, does not carry high risks of relapse, does not imply completely unnecessary, rather harmful exposure to healthy tissues of the child’s body. That is why most of the world cancer centers of proton therapy consider it the main and priority direction of their activities.
How much does proton therapy cost in oncology clinics?
So far, there are not many clinical centers of proton therapy in the world, since the installation itself is today considered the most expensive medical device. Therefore, in comparison with standard radiotherapy, the cost of this treatment method is approximately 2 times more.
The final price of proton oncology therapy depends on many factors: the degree of development of the disease, the nature and stage of the malignancy, etc. Therefore, the exact cost of the course is determined after a comprehensive examination of the patient. Approximately the cost of treating a tumor on a proton installation will be 30-40 thousand dollars.
