Proton therapy is currently being used in the United States and Europe for solid tumours in the body particularly, brain, spine, prostate and stomach.
The unique advantage that proton therapy has over conventional radiotherapy is that it targets the tumour more acurately whilst sparing healthy surrounding tissues, and delivers its maximum dose directly to the target area.
We believe that radiotherapy is a better solution for people who's cancer has spread over a large area because its x rays spread out a bit like a shot gun blast verses a snipers bullet.
Whether you can be treated sucessfully by proton therapy is something that only the proton specialists can answer.
The NHS does not offer this treatment yet and there is still a lot of scepticism amongst oncologists and radiologists as this treatment is new and does not offer ten years of statistics for them to analize.
The Americans already have five centres in operation not including a large facility opening in Philedelphia, Pennsylvania in the Autumn which is to be the largest facility of its kind in the world.
Proton therapy is particularly beneficial for children. It is so acurate, that there are very little side effects. Alex would be completely deaf, partially blind with memory problems and a lower IQ not to mention stunted growth had we gone ahead with NHS advise to give him radiotherapy for his brain tumour, plus we were only given 25% chance of survival.
If you want to know more about proton therapy then please check the websites of the worlds leading proton centres.
They are:
- The Orsay institute in Paris,
- The Francis H Burr Center, Massachusettes General in Boston, USA.
- Florida Proton in Jacksonville, Florida USA.
- M.D Anderson in Houston Texas
- James M. Slater, M.D. Proton Treatment and Research Center
- MPRI at Indiana University
- All North american sites
If you decide to go ahead with Proton therapy then there are several things you need to consider and do.
- If you have already had radiotherapy, then you cannot have proton therapy unless your cancer is in a different site.
- Get a copy of your latest MRI scan.
- The NHS have produced a list of cancers that can be treated by proton therapy abroad, check the list to see if yours is on it, why pay for it yourself if you don't have to?
- Try to get your oncologist on board with your plan, a letter about your medical history would be helpful but if he/she is not supportive, be perpared to carry on without them.
- The proton therapy centres are very busy with people trying to get treatment, don't give up unless they tell you that you are not a candidate.
- If you are accepted, congratulations, it is because they are fairly sure that they can help you.
- You must have the total amount of the treatment cost before you can begin. It must be paid in advance. A rough guide ? We paid about £105,000 for the treatment alone and then you will need more for your prolonged stay
