Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer Treatment

Traditional therapy for prostate cancer involving surgery or radiation carries the risk of serious toxicity. The potential long-term impact of these side effects on quality of life forces men to make a difficult choice during a stressful time. Proton therapy offers an innovative method of radiation treatment intended to lower the risk of side effects.

The benefits of proton therapy for prostate cancer treatment include:

• Excellent control of tumors, thanks to more precise targeting of radiation
• Lower risk of damage to healthy tissue surrounding the prostate cancer
• Better quality of life for patients undergoing proton therapy prostate cancer treatment

An alternative to traditional prostate cancer radiation treatment, proton therapy delivers precise doses of radiation with a lower risk of side effects.

The difference is in the protons themselves. Since physicians have greater control over the distribution of radiation dose, higher, more effective doses can be used. Since proton therapy lacks an "exit dose," and has a lower entrance dose than conventional X-rays, damage to delicate tissue near the prostate is reduced, lessening the likelihood of side effects like impotence, incontinence and gastrointestinal disorders. For more specific details about how proton therapy works, visit Benefits Over Other Treatments.

For thousands with prostate cancer, proton therapy has offered an effective, painless option for prostate cancer treatment.

Since the University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute opened in 2006, hundreds have undergone proton therapy for prostate cancer, and success stories are the norm. Today, prostate cancer is one of many types of cancer treated at the University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute.