proton beam?

[teripo]

Anyone heard of Proton Beam? From what I hear the therapy is more specific to the tumor.Not sure what these different radiation types are maybe,[photon vs.proton]?

[Jim Scott]

Teripo ~

This link to Wikipedia may help explain it.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton_therapy

Jim

[lholl36233]

Hi,

I had Proton Beam radiation at MGH for a temporal bone hemangioma.  I received radiation from 3 different angles resulting in 3 small bald spots that quickly grew back.  It is my understanding the radiation will only hit the tumor, sparing healthy areas close to it.

I have no regret.  I'd do it again.

Laura

[TJ]

I was told that Proton was what was big just before Cyberknife was invented.  I think Proton is more fractionated radiation with up to 30 treatments where Cyberknife is usually not and only 3-5 treatments.

TJ

[PaulW]

Proton Beam uses protons while Gammaknife, Cyberknife and LINAC use photons.
The advantage of proton beam is that they can control the depth of the beam.
The protons give up their energy at a pre programmed depth, causing little damage on the way in, offloading their energy payload into the tumour and no damage on the way out.
In theory at least Proton Therapy promises to be superior in treating many forms of tumour.
However in Acoustic Neuroma treatment, while the tumour is deactivated at very high rates, complications with the hearing and facial nerve, appear to be higher than gammaknife or Cyberknife. As technology progresses I am sure complication rates will fall.

Some intersting reading

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19054586

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12943574