Proton therapy can allow doctors to produce higher levels of radiation while zeroing in on the tumor. Traditional radiation treatment can also pinpoint the tumor but it does so with a lower level of radiation. What is promising about Proton therapy is that it targets the cancer but can spare the healthy tissue surrounding the tumor. Proton therapy can also decrease side effects such as loss of appetite, diarrhea and headaches.
Proton therapy does not come cheap. It is about three times the cost of traditional radiation. Doctors at MD Anderson are using Proton beam treatments mostly on patients who’s cancers are very early in development.
At this point more studies need to be done to see if the Proton therapy is better and worth the higher cost. Traditional radiation has come a long way over the years and recent developments have made it safer to use.
Source: The Cancer Blog
