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Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer: What Patients Need to Know

Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer: What Patients Need to Know
Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer: What Patients Need to Know

Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer:

What Patients Need to Know

Prostate cancer is a form of tumorous disease that is affecting more and more men every day. The American Cancer Society has estimated nearly 299,010 new cases of prostate cancer in 2024 with 35,250 expected deaths from the disease. Almost 5% of prostate cancer patients reach an advanced stage of cancer where the risks overpower the benefits of traditional radiation therapy. To effectively manage such patients, proton therapy for prostate cancer has been introduced.

Prostate cancer proton therapy is a great way to destroy tumors

Prostate cancer proton therapy is a great way to destroy tumors

In this article, let us go through the definition, mechanism, benefits, as well as side effects of proton therapy for prostate cancer.

What is Proton Therapy?

Proton therapy is a non-invasive procedure in which protons are targeted on cancerous tissues in the form of radiation. The aim of the therapy is to target and destroy cancerous cells within the prostate gland.

Mechanism of Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer

Proton therapy uses a beam of protons that enters the cancer cells and destroys their DNA. As a result, the cell breaks down. The depth or distance up to which the proton beam needs to travel within the prostate can also be controlled by the healthcare professional.

The beam of protons is generated by cyclotron which is a machine similar to the one used for taking scans. These protons are positively charged and attack the cancer cells precisely once they are properly positioned.

Candidacy for Proton Therapy

In most cases of prostate cancer, the patients are considered good candidates for proton therapy. However, in some situations, proton therapy may not be the best choice. Therefore, the following check-list should be referred to before starting proton therapy on a patient:

  • For proton therapy, patients with an early stage of prostate cancer are the suitable candidates. As starting proton therapy requires time, it may not be the best option in case of aggressive prostate cancers and needs to be treated as early as possible.
  • Proton therapy is ideal if the patient has been unresponsive to the highest dose of traditional X-ray radiation therapy.
  • Patients who cannot tolerate traditional radiation methods should be chosen for proton treatment.
  • In cases of low-risk prostate cancer, proton therapy should be avoided as careful monitoring and timely surgery can alleviate the disease.
  • Proton therapy should not be considered a first choice for people with pacemakers and hip implants.
Localized prostate cancer cells can be targeted with proton beam therapy

Localized prostate cancer cells can be targeted with proton beam therapy

Treatment Process

To start the treatment, your doctor will take images of your prostate for mapping and locating the tumor within the organ. Then for the next 2 weeks, the dose of the proton beam is calculated and some quality assurance tests are conducted. After this, you will receive a treatment schedule.

The duration of the therapy can last from 4 to 8 weeks depending upon the type and severity of your cancer. However, a single appointment lasts for up to 20 minutes.

Advantages of Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer

Proton therapy for prostate cancer offers the following advantages:

High Precision

Proton therapy is a highly precise treatment that delivers an accurate dose of radiation while focusing on the cancerous cells.

Protection of Healthy Tissue

As with the use of proton therapy for prostate cancer, only cancer cells are targeted with the radiation while the healthy tissue experiences either reduced radiation exposure or no exposure at all. This way, healthy tissues of the prostate, urethra, bladder, and rectum are protected.

Painless Procedure

The method is non-invasive and does not cause pain to the patient either during the therapy or after its completion.

Delivery of Higher Radiation Doses

Unlike the conventional radiation therapy, the proton therapy for prostate cancer is capable of delivering radiation at a higher dose. This puts pressure on the tumor cells which easily break and get destroyed.

Efficacy against Multiple Cancer Types and Stages

Proton therapy for prostate cancer works for cancer at any stage. The method is also effective if the lymph nodes are involved. Some of the prostate cancers for which proton therapy can be used include the following:

  • Early-stage prostate cancer
  • Mid-stage prostate cancer
  • Advanced or late-stage prostate cancer
  • Prostate cancer with metastasis to lymph nodes or nearby organs and tissues
  • Reoccurred prostate cancer after a prior surgery

Minimal Side Effects

Proton therapy comes with minimal side effects as it does not cause a number of issues both short and long-term after the treatment. However, the conventional methods are known to cause severe problems such as incontinence or impotence.

Preservation of Testosterone

Testosterone is the male hormone responsible for the production of sperm. Proton therapy does not alter its levels nor does it hinder its future production within the prostate.

Lower Risk of Secondary Cancers

When proton therapy for prostate cancer is employed once, it reduces the chances of new tumors in the future.

No Hospitalization Required

As proton therapy for prostate cancer is an outpatient treatment, there is no need for the patient to stay in the hospital once the procedure is done.

Scanning is necessary for mapping the exact location of the prostate tumor

Scanning is necessary for mapping the exact location of the prostate tumor

Prostate Cancer Proton Therapy: Potential Side Effects

Like traditional radiation treatments, proton therapy for prostate cancer also comes with certain side effects. However, the severity of these side effects is much lesser and include the following:

Short-Term Side-Effects

  • Extreme fatigue
  • Hair loss but of a temporary nature
  • Redness, dryness, or swelling in the area
  • Digestive issues
  • Irritation in the bladder
  • Skin irritation at the point of the entry of the proton beam
  • Feeling the urge to urinate
  • Increased bowel movements

Long-Term Side-Effects

  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Fatigue
  • Incontinence
  • Bleeding from the rectum
  • Urethral scarring

Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer: Is it ‘The Miracle’ Treatment?

Proton therapy is a beneficial method against prostate cancer in many situations. Its benefits are much higher than the side effects it causes. However, the following issues hinder its vast application:

No Quick Treatment Initiation

It takes much longer to plan a prostate cancer proton therapy treatment for a patient. As a result, people with an aggressive form of cancer who need a quick start of their therapy cannot benefit from proton therapy. In such cases, conventional radiations are started as they can be initiated within no time.

High Cost of the Therapy

Despite its numerous benefits, proton therapy for prostate cancer is not a budget-friendly treatment and may cost a fortune especially if it is not covered by the insurance.

Pacemaker Failure

The employment of proton beam therapy can cause the pacemaker to fail. Therefore, it should be used with care in heart patients who have been implanted with pacemakers.

Recovery and Follow-up

Once you are done with your sessions of proton therapy for prostate cancer, your oncologist will require you to engage in the following:

Frequent PSA Testing

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is done to detect the PSA protein in your blood. PSA is a substance made by the prostate gland. If a patient has PSA levels more than 10 ng/ml of their blood, these are higher than normal and thus may indicate the presence of prostate cancer.

These PSA levels are checked after the proton therapy to make sure that they are coming to normal. Usually, a value below 4 ng/ml is considered normal. However, it is important to keep in mind that prostate cancer can also happen with low PSA levels. Similarly, a higher PSA value does not necessarily indicate prostate cancer.

In an ideal scenario, your PSA levels should remain normal for 6 months after proton therapy to indicate that you are cancer-free now.

Reporting of New Symptoms

If you are experiencing issues like incontinence or erectile dysfunction a few weeks after proton beam therapy, your oncologist would like you to report them. Similarly, issues like skin redness or any irritation should also be mentioned.

Support Group Recommendations

Your doctor might want you to join a support group at this stage. It is a great way to interact with people who are going through the same situation as you. In addition, you can find out about their experiences with the treatment and what side effects they have. Above all, you can get and give emotional support which is one of the key factors for fighting cancer.

Proper consultation even after the proton beam therapy is essential

Proper consultation even after the proton beam therapy is essential

Difference between Radiation Therapy and Proton Therapy

Traditional radiation treatment has been in use for a long time now and has recovered many patients from different types of cancers. However, its comparison to proton therapy reveals its strengths and flaws:

  • As tumors in the case of prostate cancer are deeper into the tissue, traditional radiation therapy cannot reach them effectively. Here, the role of proton therapy for prostate cancer comes into play as protons have the ability to go deeper into the tissues and kill cancerous masses.
  • While conducting proton therapy for prostate cancer, higher doses of radiation can be administered while in traditional methods, this is not doable.
  • In terms of safety, proton therapy for treating prostate cancer is better than traditional radiation therapy. This is because the positively charged proton beam targets cancer cells only. The beam stops at the tumor cells and keeps exposing them until they are destroyed. However, the traditional X-ray radiations spread into the nearby tissues as well thus damaging them.
  • The quality of life of the patients exposed to proton therapy for prostate cancer is much better than those who go through conventional radiation therapy.

Surgery vs. Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer: Which is Better?

Despite being effective methods against prostate cancer, both surgery and proton treatment have their pros and cons. These include the following:

  • Proton therapy is non-invasive while surgical treatments are invasive procedures.
  • Issues like urinary incontinence and complete impotence are less likely to happen after proton therapy while common to occur if the surgery is done.
  • Problems like erectile dysfunction as well as urinary and bowel movements cannot be prevented in both cases.
  • The overall cost of proton therapy is higher than traditional radiation therapy but less than surgery.
The radiation oncologists evaluate if you are suitable for proton therapy treatment

The radiation oncologists evaluate if you are suitable for proton therapy treatment

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Bottom Line

Proton therapy, like surgery and traditional radiation therapy, is a great way to contain and remove prostate cancer. It is done by bombarding the prostate cancer cells with a positively charged proton beam. These protons destroy the DNA of the cancer cells while protecting the body’s normal cells.

When it comes to its efficacy, proton therapy for prostate cancer is effective against most types of cancers in varying stages. The only issue is that proton therapy needs some time to start as a detailed mapping of the prostate is necessary to locate the exact position of the tumorous mass.

Overall, the method is better than surgery as well as traditional X-ray radiation, and is suitable for most patients with prostate cancer.

For purchasing top-quality medical products, reliable vendors like Health Supply 770 should be approached. They ensure the provision of quality products along with satisfactory services.

References

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer/about/key-statistics.html

 

 

uzma e1714761913269

PhD Scholar (Pharmaceutics), MPhil (Pharmaceutics), Pharm D, B. Sc.

Uzma Zafar is a dedicated and highly motivated pharmaceutical professional currently pursuing her PhD in Pharmaceutics at the Punjab University College of Pharmacy, University of the Punjab. With a comprehensive academic and research background, Uzma has consistently excelled in her studies, securing first division throughout her educational journey.

Uzma’s passion for the pharmaceutical field is evident from her active engagement during her Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) program, where she not only mastered industrial techniques and clinical case studies but also delved into marketing strategies and management skills.

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