When you discover you are about to enter into a battle with cancer, know that you will eventually come to the point when you will decide on a path of treatment you want to take.
You may decide a conventional treatment is a path that is best for you. You might also decide to look very seriously into proton therapy for cancer.
In early 2015, construction was underway for about 80 treatment rooms in more than 30 particle centers worldwide. It is a growing practice that is well worth checking out. Here are four things you need to know about proton therapy for cancer.
1.) You need to know what proton therapy is, what it does, and how it is different from conventional therapies.
Proton therapy for cancer is a type of radiation therapy that stops at a very specific and targeted point in the tissue. With conventional radiation treatment, the radiation goes beyond the tumor, affecting healthy tissues.
This is especially important to those fighting breast cancer. On average, there is no radiation to the heart with proton treatment. In addition to this, proton therapy cuts the radiation to the lungs in half when compared to conventional radiation therapy.
2.) You need to know about any side effects of a proton cancer treatment.
When it comes to the side effects of proton radiation therapy, they are much fewer than compared to the convention radiation treatments. The main reason is the targeted approach. Healthy tissue is able to remain healthy. The body is then able to focus the healing on the cancer and not the injuries caused by the treatment.
3.) You need to know if proton therapy for cancer has a better cure rate than conventional treatment.
Advanced cancer treatment options never come with guarantees. It is safe to say, however, that proton therapy for cancer is at least as effective as conventional radiation treatment and with fewer side effects.
4.) You need to know what to expect in terms of your time investment.
Nobody wants to spend their days in a doctor’s office waiting room. Or, be so drained after a treatment that you lose so much time sleeping or are too exhausted to do anything.
A treatment session usually takes anywhere from 15 minutes for 45 minutes. The actual concentration of radiation on the tumor, however, is only about 2 minutes. It is a very efficient and simple treatment experience.
If you or someone you know are trying to decide on a cancer treatment option, take a look at proton therapy for cancer. You might be surprised at what you’ll find.