Southlake, TX – It’s well known that one of the most effective ways to ensure that cancer cells are destroyed involves the use of radiation. This form of therapy, although highly effective and widely used, however, often presents with a number of serious side effects because healthy tissue is damaged during the process of treating cancer tumors. Proton therapy offers an alternative that can increase treatment precision while reducing side effect risks.

“Proton therapy has been around for a while, but its use is beginning to gain in popularity courtesy of the results it delivers,” says Dr. Gregory Echt, founder and lead surgeon at Southlake Oncology, a Choice Cancer Center. “While similar to standard radiation therapy, proton therapy enables clinicians to deliver more pinpoint precision with treatment delivery. This precision reduces the potential for collateral tissue damage while still providing effective treatment to destroy cancer cells.”

While the jury is still technically out on proton therapy, results from the field are very encouraging. The University of Florida’s Proton Therapy Institute is poised to release the results of a five-year study soon. Its early reports, however, show that proton therapy delivered a 98 percent rate of no recurrence in prostate cancer patients at the five-year mark. What’s more, the therapy has shown effective in helping lower prostate cancer treatment risks, such as incontinence and impotence.

“The use of proton therapy is beginning to grow thanks to the development of more treatment centers such as the University of Florida’s across the globe,” Dr. Echt says. “This alternative offers hope for patients in providing a way to successfully treat cancer while making the treatment less invasive in the process.”

People who are diagnosed with prostate cancer or any form of cancer are urged to discuss all treatment options with their healthcare providers. Proton therapy may or may not be recommended based on the particular form of the disease. Other alternatives, such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) also provide precision for effective cancer treatment.

About Southlake Oncology
Southlake Oncology, located in the Southlake and Grapevine area is a community-focused oncology practice that delivers exceptional care to North Texas cancer patients with a variety of cancer diagnoses and blood disorders. Like the other Choice Cancer Care facilities, we are an independent treatment center that is physician-owned.