(Newswire.net — September 1, 2016) — Studies on different treatments for breast cancer are being conducted across the globe in an attempt to find better treatments for the illness. After the latest report on genomic tests and how they can help spare breast cancer patients from chemotherapy was released just last week, another report on the effectiveness of proton therapy now reveals really promising results.
Proton Treatment on Breast Cancer
It was the University Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, that conducted the breast cancer treatment research based on the use of protons. The research was conducted in an attempt to minimize – if not eliminate completely – future problems that are often caused by breast cancer treatments such as chemo.
Proton therapy itself is not something new. Using a device that looks very similar to a CT scanner, proton radiation can be emitted to treat breast cancer in patients of different ages. Dr. Janice Lyons, one of the doctors involved in the research, said that UH is now part of a nationwide program to test proton therapy for treating breast cancer.
“They penetrate a certain distance deep into tissues and then they stop,” said Dr. Lyons. “The question is — can we make them safer? And this is sort of the next step to try to figure this out.”
A narrowed radiation field will help a lot in treating breast cancer. This type of cancer is usually very difficult to treat due to the location of it. It is often too close to the heart and other organs; the current treatments may still produce side effects years after the treatments are completed.
Proton therapy also has two more benefits: the ability to deliver more beams to the cancer cells and faster post-treatment recovery due to the lack of side effects. Both benefits will certainly make treating breast cancer a lot easier to do.
More About Proton Treatment
Proton therapy is considered the next step in breast cancer treatment for a number of reasons. For starters, the limited radiation field can help the treatment be more effective and eliminate side effects at the same time. Leading research centers and private firms are developing ways to use proton beams more effectively as well.
IBA, Ion Beam Applications, a private firm based in Belgium, is already working on a proton therapy device that is more compact and precise. The firm is in the process of bringing the device for testing and use in the United States.
Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, who is also part of the nationwide testing program, is already using Pencil Beam Scanning, PBM, as part of its proton therapy programs for breast cancer patients. PBM allows the beam of protons to be very controlled and fine-tuned. This, in turn, makes it possible for the treatment to be incredibly accurate, down to the very last millimeter.
Future Developments
There will be a lot of exciting new developments in the coming months as well. Aside from the nationwide testing program, which will bring more data and reports about proton therapy, there are a number of research and testing programs across the United States that center around the use of proton beams. Minimized side effects and better – less painful – treatments will certainly change the landscape for many breast cancer patients.