Research Shows Benefits of Protons

New research shows patients receiving simultaneous chemotherapy and radiation had fewer hospitalizations when they received proton therapy compared to conventional X-ray radiation therapy. What’s more, patients in the study had similar cure rates meaning that proton therapy was found to be as effective as conventional radiation with less costly side effects.

The researchers studied almost 1,500 patients with lung, brain, head and neck, gastrointestinal and gynecological cancers. Even though the patients receiving proton therapy were significantly older, they experienced two-thirds less adverse events associated with hospitalizations during the first 90-days of treatment. Proton patients were also more likely to be able to carry on work-related activities during and after their treatments.

The results of this study are significant because they support the value of proton therapy by demonstrating an improvement in quality of life and outcomes for cancer patients while providing value-based care for Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers. 

The full article can be viewed in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)