Proton Therapy Growing Support For Prostate Cancer Treatment
The founder and lead surgeon of Southlake Oncology talks about this therapy's growing popularity.
- (1888PressRelease) March 21, 2016 - Southlake, TX - A relatively new form of therapy is gaining popularity for treating prostate cancer for a few very compelling reasons. Proton therapy's use, in fact, has nearly doubled in recent years as studies continue to support its effectiveness and its ability to reduce the likelihood of side effects.
"Proton beam therapy is a very encouraging advancement for men facing down prostate cancer treatment," says Dr. Gregory Echt, founder and lead surgeon at Southlake Oncology, a Choice Cancer Center. "This therapy works much like radiation treatments, but because of the nature of its beams, it is much more precise. That means it is often possible for clinicians to spare nearby healthy tissue from damage that may give rise to troublesome side effects."
A recent analysis of data related to more than 180,000 men treated for non-metastatic prostate cancer showed a steady rise in proton therapy use between 2004 and 2012. This therapy was used in only 2.3 percent of the cases in 2004, but climbed to 4.8 percent by 2012.
"The potential to avoid such treatment-related complications as incontinence, impotence and bowel damage makes proton therapy a strong choice for many men and their healthcare providers," says Dr. Echt. "As this therapy continues to hold up against scrutiny and becomes more widely available, its use will likely continue to climb."
Studies have backed the use of proton therapy for treatment of a variety of different cancers. This alternative to standard radiotherapy isn't widely available just yet because of equipment costs and the space needed to house proton beam technology though. Researchers are working to advance the technology to make it more readily available in the near future by lowering space requirements and associated costs.
Men diagnosed with prostate cancer should discuss all their treatment options with their healthcare providers. If proton beam therapy is available, its benefits and risks based on specific case details should be taken into account before the option is pursued.
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.
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