The diagnosis of cancer is never good, but as soon as the shock of the news is received many patients and their families want to make sure that they understand all of the available cancer treatment therapy options. From patients who are considering proton therapy for head and neck cancer to other patients who are looking at radiation treatment for cancer in another part of the body, it is always important to make sure that you consider all of your options. Knowing that you are working with an experienced staff can help you gain confidence in the approach that you have chosen.

Advanced Cancer Treatment Options Offer Many Patients Hope

Although there are many treatment options available to cancer patients, one of the cancer treatment therapy plans that is increasing in its effectiveness is proton therapy. This is a type of radiation that stops at a very specific point in the targeted tissue. In comparison, conventional radiation continues beyond the tumor. In breast cancer, for instance, this means on average no radiation to the heart and on average 50% less radiation to the lung as compared with more conventional radiation treatment options.

Pencil beam proton therapy options are especially targeted and can some times be used to attack cancer without having an adverse affect on other surrounding areas. In fact, because of proton therapy’s targeted approach, studies have found that prostate cancer patients treated using this method have a significantly reduced risk of impotence, so much so that 94% of men report that after treatment they remain sexually active.

In other parts of the body, proton therapy decreases the radiation dose to gastrointestinal structures by at least 59% compared to X-rays. Knowing that you can limit the side effects of radiation while also aggressively treating your cancer is one of the reasons that more and more doctors and patients are looking to proton therapy and other targeted approaches to what can be a very devastating diagnosis. As cancer research continues to expand it should come as no surprise that patients, even while facing some of the worst news of their lives, take the time to understand all of their available options.