Cancer remains one of the biggest obstacles facing human health today.
Able to be exacerbated by the sun and compounded by age, it takes on many forms and degrees of severity. This leaves it too dynamic for a one-size-fits-all cure, particularly when taking into account the unique health status of each individual patient. That doesn’t mean there aren’t medical advances to look forward to. Cancer treatment therapy today has seen incredible progress with proton beam radiation. Reducing the amount of long-term side-effects and increasing the patient’s chances of a healthy life, it might just be the next big thing.
How does non-invasive cancer treatment work? What’s the future of proton cancer treatment? Learn more about how it works below.
Even if you don’t know anyone in your life that’s been afflicted with cancer, you’re likely aware of its prevalence and the forms it takes. Skin cancer remains one of the most common forms today, due in no small part to the weakened ozone layer and a lack of understanding concerning sun protection. Also known as melanoma, these can take on the forms of spots and moles that soon become dangerous to one’s health. Prostate cancer, breast cancer, and brain cancer are also common forms that stand to benefit from this updated cancer treatment therapy.
Several factors can exacerbate cancer and leave someone with a higher likelihood of a positive diagnosis. According to reports by the CDC, 35% of men today are obese, while another 30% have high blood pressure. Constant drinking can make blood pressure worse and contribute to worsened mental wellness, too. Visiting a cancer treatment center and asking for a check-up is the best way to determine where to go from here. Even if you test positive, spotting cancer early is one of the best tools in counteracting it and increasing the possibility of a full recovery.
Cancer check-ups are becoming more common. Over 20,000 adults and 4,000 children will be diagnosed with cancerous brain tumors every year, with glioblastomas accounting for 15% of all primary brain tumors as we know it. It’s also estimated thousands of new breast cancer cases are seen annually, with these statistics worsening with age and poverty. Advanced cancer treatment options shouldn’t just remove the tumor. They also need to ensure the possibility for relapse is as low as possible.
What makes proton therapy unique is its more specified approach. A type of radiation that stops at specific points in the targeted tissue, proton therapy is proving to be a fantastic alternative to traditional radiation. Breast cancer, for example, has seen little to no radiation to the heart and 50% less radiation to the lung compared to conventional methods. Additional studies have also found proton therapy to decrease radiation dosage to gastrointestinal structures by nearly 60% compared to X-rays. Several forms of cancer could very well benefit from this cancer treatment therapy.
Prostate cancer may very well be a thing of the past, if proton cancer treatment therapy moves forward as expected. Researchers have reported 99% of men treated with proton therapy for low-risk prostate cancer have showed no signs of cancer recurrence after five years. This number has been steady at 95% and 75% for intermediate-risk and high-risk prostate cancer, as well. Additional benefits to these prostate cancer options includes a higher probability of remaining sexually active after treatment. The beginning of 2015 alone saw over 30 particle therapy centers established around the world.
While the future is never guaranteed, it’s looking much brighter than before.
