MediGence: Enabling Better Health Decisions

The doctor recommends proton therapy for the management of tumors. Proton therapy is advanced radiation therapy. It is used for managing benign and cancerous tumors. Because of its fewer side effects than conventional radiations, there is an increasing trend in using these radiations. Proton therapy finds its importance in managing various types of cancers, including lung cancer, liver cancer, esophageal cancer, breast cancer, brain tumor, spinal tumor, and sarcoma.

There are various advantages of proton therapy over traditional radiation therapy. In proton therapy, the doctors have better control over the energy transmission into the cancerous cells. The dose of radiation during proton therapy delivers into the cells and thus does not damage the surrounding tissues.

You may expect the following before the proton therapy:

Your doctor will provide you general information about the treatment and cost.
The doctor provides detailed information about the side effects such as digestive problems, dry mouth, fatigue, skin redness, and soreness.
Your doctor will also analyze the best position so that the proton beam reaches the tumor.
Your doctor will also inform you about the number of sittings you require. You may undergo multiple sittings of a small dose of radiation or a single sitting with a large dose.
You may also undergo a CT scan or MRI before you receive proton therapy.

You may expect the following during the proton therapy:

Hospital staff will take you to a special room mean for radiation therapy.
Placing the patient in the correct position is significant. This will help in guiding the proton bean exactly on the tumor without harming the surrounding tissues.
To ascertain the position, doctors perform an MRI and CT scan before each treatment.
Doctors perform the treatment with a machine known as a gantry. This machine rotates around the patient. The rotation of the machine ensures that the patients get the treatment at the correct place.
In some hospitals, the machines are fixed and do not rotates. In such cases, the table on which you are lying moves.
Proton beam comes from the nozzle of this machine.
Once you are in the best position to receive the treatment, the doctors and supporting staff leave the treatment room and go to the control panel.
From the control room, the doctors and staff can hear and see you.
The proton comes from the machine and damages the cancer cells.
You are not able to feel or experience the protons hitting your body.
The duration of the procedure depends upon various factors, including the site of treatment, and ease of access to the tumor. Generally, it takes around 20-30 minutes.

The doctor performs the proton therapy as an out-patient procedure. You can go home on the day of therapy. You may experience the side effects after a few cycles of treatment. The skin may have redness. You may experience fatigue and weakness due to mental and physical stress. The doctor may call for a routine follow-up to analyze the status of the tumor.