Proton Treatment for Breast Cancer ~ Breast Cancer

One of the most common forms of cancer among women is breast cancer. One promising course that has developed in the last few years is proton treatment. Understanding the science and protocols of this treatment will allow you to make important decisions regarding your illness.

Breast cancer develops in the inner layer of the breast duct. Abnormal cells grow and fill hollow spaces, killing healthy cells. As these cells die, calcium deposits form. Detectable with a mammogram, these deposits may be the first sign of cancer growing in the breast. As the cancer becomes more advanced, it will destroy the outer layers of the ducts and spread into the connective tissue (the fibrous area that binds the breast together). A mass, created by the connective tissue, is felt as a lump during an examination. Once a lump forms, the cancer will move into the lymph nodes and onward, throughout the body.

Conventional radiation therapy must pass through healthy tissue to reach the cancerous area. It can damage everything in its path, such as bone and skin. Proton radiation works with a more targeted and precise beam. The ability to strike closer or exactly on the tumor is significant. It also has the advantage of less harmful exit doses. The exit dose, called Brags Peak, is the burst of energy released as the radiation reaches its peak, presumably at the tumor site. With older-style radiation, this peak is larger and more damaging to the body. The precision of proton therapy allows for control of Brags Peak. The end result is a type of radiation treatment that damages healthy tissue less.

A patient preparing to under go proton radiation therapy will first be fitted with a device designed to keep the target area immobile and then will have an MRI to create a 3-D image of the tumor region. Done as an outpatient procedure, the treatment will generally last five to seven weeks.

The patient is positioned for the treatment using laser sites, and then left alone in the treatment room as a computer controls the parameters of the radiation using filters and guides established from the study of the tumor. The delivery of the proton beam only lasts about a minute. Each treatment lasts approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

Side effects are similar to conventional radiation, but at a significantly reduced level. They include temporary hair loss and some skin reactions.

The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology reported at its annual meeting in 2008 that the use of proton treatment over more conventional radiation led to a significant (threefold) reduction in reoccurrences of malignancies (cancerous tumors). This refuted speculation that this therapy would increase secondary cancers.

Proton therapy used to treat breast cancer abc7.com
abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?id=8204536
Loma Linda researchers believe proton therapy is an easier way for many women to treat breast cancer with virtually no side effects.
Proton Therapy and Treatment Center, Loma Linda University
www.protons.com
Loma Linda University Medical Center's Proton Treatment Center provides proton beam therapy for treating prostate, lung and brain cancers.
Proton Treatment for Breast Cancer - YouTube
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www.proton-therapy.org
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newsok.com/proton-therapy-now...city-for-some-breast-cancer.../3791863
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www.procure.com
The information on this website can help you decide if proton therapy is a viable cancer and tumor treatment alternative to standard X-ray radiation.
Is proton beam therapy for prostate cancer worth the cost?
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Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute
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Explaining Proton Therapy Cancer.Net
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Oncologist-approved cancer information from the American Society of Clinical Oncology
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Is Proton Therapy Right for You? - Cancerwise Cancer blog
www2.mdanderson.org Publications cancerwise
"Should I get proton therapy?" is a question that my patients often ask me, and you may be thinking about it right now. The short answer is that "it depends."
Proton Therapy Today The online magazine for proton therapy
www.proton-therapy-today.com
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Proton Therapy Oncolink - Cancer Resources
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A new kind of cancer treatment is now available in the Pacific Northwest.
Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute
www.hamptonproton.org
The Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute (HUPTI) is bringing the latest, most precise cancer-fighting technologies to Virginia.
Proton Therapy for Cancer at MD Anderson - Orlando
www.orlandohealth.com/mdanderson/OurServices/proton_beam_therapy...
Proton therapy is a form of of radiation therapy that uses proton beams to shrink tumors in adult cancers, especially tumors that are located near vital organs and in ...
Stage 1 Breast Cancer Treatment
stage-1-breast.cancertreatment.net
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in-situ-breast.cancertreatment.net
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Triple Negative Breast Cancer Treatment
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RINECKER PROTON THERAPY CENTER: Proton Therapy - New Cancer ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0MDwed0Kuo
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Proton Therapy Fact Sheet
www.proton-therapy.org/facts.htm
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Stage 3 Breast Cancer Treatment
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