A cancer diagnosis is one of the scariest announcements that you can ever hear. From the second that you hear the news, in fact, it can sometimes be difficult to know what to do. It can be difficult to know what questions to ask. Difficult to find the courage and the strength to follow through with the prescribed treatment plan.
Whether you are listening to recommendations about treating prostrate cancer or dealing with decisions about breast cancer care, it is important to make sure that you take the time to figure out what kind of questions to ask, what kind of answers to listen for, and what kind of treatment to receive. And while there are a number of treatment options available, a growing number of diagnosis plans now include the use of proton radiation therapy.
By definition, proton radiation therapy is targeted approach to radiation that avoids the radiation extending beyond the intended area. In fact, proton therapy is a type of radiation that stops at a very specific point in tissue that is targeted. And while conventional radiation continues beyond the tumor that is being treated, proton radiation therapy does not. In breast cancer, for instance, this means that the intent is for no radiation to reach the heart. Specifically, when treating breast cancer, proton beam radiation averages 50% less radiation to the lung when it is compared with conventional radiation.
Proton Radiation Therapy Is an Effective Way to Treat a Number of Cancers
Whether you are getting ready to make decisions about breast cancer treatment or you are looking for treatment options for neck cancer, it is important to take the time to ask of all of the questions that you have and to make sure that you understand all of the answers. And while many of these appointments are stressful times when it can be difficult to process all of the information that you hear, it is important to remember that you are a consumer and feel free to ask all of the questions that you have.
Consider some of these facts and figures about the kinds of cancers that many Americans are facing and the treatment options that are sometimes recommended:
- Studies have found that due to proton therapy’s targeted approach, prostate cancer patients treated using this method have a significantly reduced risk of impotence. In fact, 94% of men report that they remain sexually active after this kind of treatment.
- More than 30 particle therapy centers, with a total of about 80 treatment rooms, were under construction worldwide by the beginning of the year 2015.
- Researchers report that 99% of men treated with proton therapy with low risk prostate cancer have no signs of cancer recurrence after five years of follow up appointments.
- Researchers report that 94% of men treated with proton therapy with intermediate risk prostate cancer have no signs of cancer recurrence after five years of follow up appointments.
- Researchers report that 74% of men treated with proton therapy with high risk prostate cancer have no signs of cancer recurrence after five years of follow up appointments.
- Although the actual time spent delivering the protons to the tumor is generally only about a minute or two, a proton radiation treatment session generally takes 15 to 45 minutes.
Making sure that you take the time to ask the questions that you have after a diagnosis of cancer is important. And while it can take a lot of time to make sure that you are clear about the options that you have, it is important to make sure that you take the time that is needed. For instance, prostate cancer options can vary, so it is important to make sure that you understand the choices that you have.
