February 12, 2025
Proton Therapy

Proton Therapy: An Innovative Cancer Treatment

What is Proton beam therapy?

Proton beam therapy is a type of radiation therapy that uses protons rather than x-rays to treat cancerous tumors. During proton beam therapy, proton beams are directed at the tumor and destroy cancer cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Protons are charged particles that can be precisely controlled and targeted using magnetic fields. This allows doctors to sculpt very high radiation doses to conform to the shape of the tumor while avoiding many of the side effects seen in other radiotherapy techniques.

How Does Proton beam therapy Work?

Proton beam therapy works in a similar way to traditional x-ray radiation therapy in that it uses high doses of radiation to destroy cancer cells. However, there are some key differences. In x-ray therapy, the radiation passes through the body, depositing dose along the way and exposing healthy tissue to radiation. Protons, on the other hand, deposit most of their energy at a specific depth in tissue known as the Bragg peak. Beyond this point, there is very little dose deposited in the patient’s healthy tissue.

This allows doctors to deliver higher doses of radiation directly to the tumor while minimizing exposure of surrounding healthy tissue. The proton beams enter the patient’s body and pass through skin and other tissue before reaching the tumor. They deposit the majority of their energy at the Bragg peak, which is positioned precisely at the location of the tumor. Tissue beyond the tumor receives negligible radiation, dramatically reducing side effects.

Types of Proton Therapy

There are two main types of Proton Therapy currently used: passive scattering and pencil beam scanning. In passive scattering proton beam therapy, a thin wafer spreads the proton beam into a broader beam that matches the shape and size of the tumor. It delivers a uniform dose across the entire treatment area at once. Pencil beam scanning proton beam therapy uses computer-controlled magnetic fields to aim the proton beam and raster scan across the tumor in discrete spots. It allows for more conformal dose distributions and the ability to modulate dose at various depths by varying magnet strength.

Benefits of Proton beam therapy

Some of the main benefits of proton beam therapy compared to traditional x-ray therapy include:

– Reduced side effects due to lower doses of radiation to surrounding healthy tissues. This can minimize risks of long-term side effects like fibrosis, nerve damage and secondary cancers.

– Ability to treat certain tumors previously considered inoperable or untreated by conventional radiation. This includes tumors near critical structures like the optic nerves, brainstem, and spinal cord.

– Shorter treatment durations. Some simple tumors can often be treated with proton beam therapy in a single fraction rather than multiple sessions over 6 weeks.

– Quality of life. Lower risk of complications means less treatment breaks and interruption to daily activities and work.

– Precisely targeted. Protons deposit most of their energy at the tumor site, allowing for tight conformity and sub-millimeter accuracy in dose localization.

– Effective for pediatric cases. Children are very sensitive to radiation, so protons help reduce lifelong radiation risks from treatment at a young age.

Current and Future Applications

Proton Therapy is already used to treat many types of cancer but is particularly well-suited for tumors in or near sensitive areas that are difficult to treat with conventional radiation. Some of the most common applications today include:

– Brain and head/neck tumors like meningioma, glioblastoma and chordoma due to proximity to critical structures.

– Pediatric cancers like medulloblastoma, retinoblastoma and sarcomas.

– Prostate cancer which is often treated with either proton or photon IMRT.

– Lung cancer, especially for sterotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT).

– Breast cancer, since protons minimize heart and lung exposure.

The future applications of proton beam therapy are expected to expand as facilities continue to be built. Areas of ongoing research include using protons to boost photon IMRT, combining with immunotherapy, and development of FLASH proton beam therapy for hypofractionated treatments. Protons are also being explored for treatment of hepatic, pancreatic, gastrointestinal, bone and other cancers.

Proton Therapy represents an innovative advancement in cancer treatment technology that allows physicians to treat tumors with more precision while reducing long-term side effects for patients. As the availability of facilities increases, applications for protons will likely continue expanding to new cancer types. Proton beam therapy delivers conformal doses of radiation directly to tumors for safer and more effective treatments.

*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public Source, Desk Research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it

About Author - Money Singh
+ posts

Money Singh is a seasoned content writer with over four years of experience in the market research sector. Her expertise spans various industries, including food and beverages, biotechnology, chemical and materials, defense and aerospace, consumer goods, etc.  LinkedIn Profile

About Author - Money Singh

Money Singh is a seasoned content writer with over four years of experience in the market research sector. Her expertise spans various industries, including food and beverages, biotechnology, chemical and materials, defense and aerospace, consumer goods, etc.  LinkedIn Profile

View all posts by About Author - Money Singh →