Clinical Indications

Proton therapy is an effective radiation treatment for many types of tumors. Because protons can be more precisely controlled than standard X-ray radiation, they deliver a lower dose of radiation to healthy tissue, which is particularly important when a tumor is close to a critical organ or structure such as the brain or spinal cord.^1-3 Patients treated with protons experience fewer short- and long-term side effects, including a decreased risk of secondary malignancies, compared with the standard forms of radiation therapy.^4-6 The greater precision of proton therapy also allows higher doses of radiation to be delivered, providing better control without increased adverse effects.^1,7