Proton therapy Sarcoma of the head and neck

Sarcoma of the head and neck Proton therapy

Head and neck sarcoma treatment usually requires a complex approach that involves multiple techniques. Surgery is often an important component of treatment. Radiation and chemotherapy may also be used. Prior to surgery, radiation and chemotherapy may help shrink the tumor. If radiation is not used before surgery, it may be given after surgery to reduce the risk of recidivism (the cancer returning).

The application of proton beam radiation therapy in the treatment of head and neck sarcoma has grown tremendously in the past few years

The new Quirónsalud Proton Therapy Centre is a modern center, equipped with cutting-edge medical technology, where everything is designed to the finest detail to offer each patient the highest level of comfort and convenience during their treatment.

Being the most advanced form of radiation therapy, proton therapy helps to limit the side effects of cancer treatment and is preferably used to fight cancer localized where side effects are especially undesirable (brain or prostate cancer, cancer in children, etc.). This type of treatment offers patients a more effective way to fight cancer.

However, today proton therapy is just beginning: its availability is still low, although it is growing, which puts it at the center of a lively debate. Many people, patients, doctors, nurses, physicists, researchers, manufacturers are working hard to develop and make treatment accessible to more patients around the world.

Advantage

Quirónsalud Proton Therapy Centre has internationally-renowned specialists and experts in the approach and treatment of particular complex illnesses.

The most cutting-edge technique

Due to the physical properties of protons, proton-beam therapy is currently the world’s most advanced and safest radiation therapy technique for certain tumors. When applied at specific dose levels, protons can act with great precision in the interior of tissue, thus increasing antitumor activity and limiting damage to healthy tissue. 

How does proton-beam therapy work

The proton-beam therapy system, called Proteus One®, includes
tumor-scanning technology that enables physicians to
deliver the most appropriate radiation dose and target each specific area requiring treatment. The new machine is equipped with highly sophisticated imaging equipment and can rotate 220° around the patient, allowing the beam to be aimed at a tumor from any angle.
Proton-beam therapy is a highly precise form of radiation therapy for sarcoma that enables our doctors to selectively target sarcoma tumors that arise in your connective soft tissues or bones with high-dose radiation.

Proton therapy, like other types of radiation therapy, works by directing charged particles, in this case protons, to the target tumor. Particles damage the DNA of cells, causing their death. Unlike x-rays, protons can be controlled to release most of their energy only when they reach their goal. The more energy the cancer cells reach, the more damage each ray emits.
This is very important for sarcomas located close to critical and sensitive organs in which unnecessary radiation could lead to side effects and risk of secondary cancer.

What benefits does it have? 

Over the past 5 years, the use of proton therapy in the treatment of head and neck cancer has increased significantly.
Throughout the world, the widespread interest in proton radiation therapy has led to numerous research efforts regarding its therapeutic value and cost-effectiveness. A standard of care using state-of-the-art photon radiation technology has shown excellent treatment results, but in some situations, disease control remains suboptimal, which can lead to detrimental toxicity. Due to the advantageous properties of the proton beam, proton radiation therapy may be better than photon therapy in some patient subgroups for both disease control and patient quality of life. As the enthusiasm and interest in proton radiation therapy continues to grow, clinical research and widespread use will reveal the true value of proton radiation therapy and give a better understanding of the benefits of proton therapy for head and neck cancer.