What Is Proton Therapy? And why haven't I heard of it before?

If your trying to understand your options this blog is the one for you

Written By: Taylor Gibbs

When you’re diagnosed with cancer, treatment options can feel overwhelming—especially when you hear unfamiliar terms like proton therapy. Understanding how it works and how it compares to traditional radiation therapy can help you feel more confident when discussing treatment with your care team.

What Is Proton Therapy?

Proton therapy is a type of radiation treatment that uses protons (positively charged particles) to target cancer cells. Like other forms of radiation, its goal is to destroy cancer cells or stop them from growing. What makes proton therapy different is how precisely it delivers radiation to the tumor.

Protons have a unique physical property: they release most of their energy at a specific depth in the body, known as the Bragg peak. This allows doctors to focus the radiation directly on the tumor with very little radiation passing beyond it.

How Does Traditional (Photon) Radiation Work?

Traditional radiation therapy—often called X-ray or photon radiation—uses high-energy beams that pass through the body. These beams deliver radiation to the tumor, but they also continue traveling beyond it, exposing nearby healthy tissues and organs to radiation.

Photon radiation has been used safely and effectively for decades and remains the most common form of radiation therapy worldwide.

Proton Therapy vs. Traditional Radiation: Key Differences

1. Precision and Targeting

• Proton Therapy: Delivers radiation directly to the tumor and largely stops there.

• Traditional Radiation: Enters the body, treats the tumor, and exits the body, affecting surrounding tissue.

Why this matters: Less radiation to healthy tissue can mean fewer side effects.

2. Side Effects

• Proton Therapy: Often results in fewer short-term and long-term side effects, especially when tumors are near sensitive organs.

• Traditional Radiation: Side effects depend on the treatment area but may include fatigue, skin irritation, or damage to nearby organs.

3. Best Uses

Proton therapy is especially helpful for:

• Pediatric cancers

• Brain and spinal cord tumors

• Head and neck cancers

• Prostate cancer

• Tumors close to vital organs like the heart, lungs, or eyes

Traditional radiation is still very effective for many cancers and is often the best or only available option.

4. Availability and Cost

• Proton Therapy: Available at specialized centers and is more expensive.

• Traditional Radiation: Widely available and generally more affordable.

Which Treatment Is Right for You?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer when choosing between proton therapy and traditional radiation therapy. While proton therapy offers greater precision and can reduce radiation exposure to healthy tissue, traditional radiation remains highly effective for many types of cancer. The best treatment option depends on several factors, including the type and location of the cancer, your age and overall health, potential side effects, and insurance coverage or access to specialized treatment centers. Your radiation oncologist is the best person to evaluate these factors and help determine which approach will provide the greatest benefit with the least risk for your specific situation.