The Future For Cancer Survivors How Proton Therapy Reduces The Risk For Long-Term Side-Effects

 

The cure for cancer is inching closer every day.

The survival rate for breast cancer patients is rising year after year. Medication is becoming more effective at combating not just the primary side-effects of radiation treatment, but the long-term impact. With a little more work we very well could be seeing the end to one of the most deadly illnesses today. Until then, advanced cancer treatment options are seeing a lot of promise in proton therapy. Head and neck cancer treatment, as well as prostate and breast cancer, have shown alarming improvement when treated at a proton radiation therapy center. This method is effective, quick and very well could become the standard down the road.

Head and neck cancer treatment, prostate cancer treatment, breast cancer treatment…how can proton therapy manage to treat these?

Thousands of people are diagnosed with cancer every year. According to recent studies nearly 24,000 adults, as well as 4,800 children, have been diagnosed with cancerous tumors of the brain and spinal cord at a consistent rate over the past few years. Brain tumors also make up the majority of that number. Head and neck cancer treatment, just like any other form, is notoriously tricky to both treat and manage down the road. Not only do doctors have to remove the tumor, they have to prevent the possibility of relapse over the years.

Breast cancer is on the rise. So are the number of survivors. Recent statistics have found the amount of people surviving a breast cancer diagnosis — provided the tumor is located specifically in the breast — to be the highest, with this number reducing slightly if it’s spread to other areas nearby. The beginning of 2015 saw over 30 particle therapy treatment centers cropping up around the world, with a collective total of 80 treatment rooms under construction. What, exactly, is putting this form of cancer treatment in such high demand?

Proton therapy is starting to turn heads thanks to its more targeted approach and reduced risk for long-term side-effects. This form of radiation stops at a very specific point in the targeted tissue, while conventional radiation tends to continue beyond the tumor to affect surrounding organs and muscle groups. Breast cancer, for example, will see no radiation to the heart on average as well as 50% less radiation to the lungs. Not only is cancer proton therapy effective…it’s fast. A treatment session takes anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes, with most of that being prep time.

Prostate cancer could benefit greatly from the aid of proton cancer treatment, too. Ongoing research is being conducted to analyze the long-term health benefits of patients that have been treated with this method, with some statistics proving more than promising. Thanks to the targeted approach of proton beam radiation prostate cancer patients with a low-risk have shown a 95% likelihood of no cancer recurrence after five years. This number is closer to 90% for those with intermediate-risk and 75% for those with high-risk. Proton therapy also decreases the radiation dose to the gastrointestinal area and reduces the risk of impotence in its patients.

Many factors can contribute to an increased risk for cancer. Family genetics can play a part. So can lifestyle habits, with obesity and high blood pressure being high on the list. Nearly 20% of men over the age of 18 have had five or more drinks in one day at least once over the past year. According to the CDC around 35% of men over the age of 20 are obese, with 35% either having high blood pressure or taking prescriptions for hypertension. While awareness continues to spread about the causes of this pervasive illnesses, head and neck cancer treatment will only continue to be done with the aid of advanced cancer treatment options.

Proton therapy could change the way we look at cancer forever.