Proton therapy offers significant advantages in treating cancer among children due to its ability to precisely target the tumor while minimizing radiation exposure to adjacent healthy tissues. This reduction in damage to healthy tissue is especially crucial for children, as they are in a phase of growth and development. By reducing side effects through proton therapy, pediatric patients have a better quality of life and fewer long-term adverse effects.

Due to delivering lower radiation doses to surrounding healthy tissues and organs, side effects from proton therapy are typically minimal and less than standard radiation therapy treatments. Many patients who receive proton therapy are able to continue to work and enjoy their normal daily activities.

Radiation can only cause side effects in the specific area treated unlike chemotherapy which is a systemic treatment. For that reason, hair loss or nausea and vomiting will not occur unless the scalp or abdominal area is treated. Even if those areas are treated, proton therapy can lessen the chance of experiencing these side effects.

Yes. Many cancers are treated with other types of therapy as well as proton therapy. Depending on the case and type of cancer, proton therapy may be used in combination with traditional radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. Research is showing that proton therapy can be combined with chemotherapy or immunotherapy to offer improved survival when given together compared to traditional therapy.

The number of treatments is dependent on the specific diagnosis but can range anywhere from 5 treatments to 39. Treatments are typically five days a week.

Proton therapy treatments typically last 15-45 minutes depending on the number of treatment fields and the complexity of the patient daily setup.

Proton therapy is non-invasive and painless.

Proton therapy was only practiced at research facilities up until about 1990. Although it’s been around much longer, proton therapy facilities are still limited in number. Even with dozens of proton centers in the U.S. today, fewer than 1 percent of all radiation treatments are proton therapy. Because of this, your doctor may not be aware of the benefits of proton therapy.

Proton therapy has been approved as a safe and effective treatment by the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) since 1988. The nation’s top NCI designated and NCCN Comprehensive Cancer Centers value the use of proton therapy to improve outcomes for their patients.

Proton therapy is covered by Medicare and many commercial insurance plans include coverage for certain conditions. Insurance specialists at proton therapy providers will help determine plan benefits.

In most cases a referral is not needed to schedule an appointment with a proton therapy physician. Patient access specialists at proton therapy provider will work directly with the patient and their family to schedule an appointment.

Proton therapy centers are increasing each year, making this advanced treatment more accessible to patients. To find a center near you, please use our Find a Center map, which helps you locate proton therapy centers nationwide.