prostate-report.org

Uniform scanning decreases risks of radiation therapy

Doctors at the University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute are using a new technique called uniform scanning. It moves a single beam of protons in a sweeping or scanning motion, enabling the beam to reach deeper into the body and cover a wider area than traditional proton therapy. This allows proton therapy to be an option for men with prostate cancer who have a hip circumference of more than 50 inches and for sarcoma patients with tumors larger than 9.4 inches. Uniform scanning will also help patients with tumors in the head and neck, brain or spinal column since it can hit the target area more efficiently without hurting vital organs.

In traditional radiation therapy for cancer treatment, a patient is exposed to X-rays. As they pass through both healthy and cancerous tissue, X-rays leave a path of damage. It helps destroy tumors but also may cause damage to the surrounding tissue. Proton therapy has benefits over conventional therapy in the treatment of many common cancers, such as prostate cancer, lung cancer, cancers of the eye and cancer in children. Protons are more precise than X-rays and cause less damage in the body. Protons deposit the majority of their destructive energy at the tumor site.