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Proton therapy for genitourinary cancers

Genitourinary cancers affect the reproductive organs and urinary system, which include the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra, as well as (in men) the prostate gland, testicles, penis and epididymis, and (in women) the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, vagina, external genitalia and perineum. Treating genitourinary cancers with conventional radiation can lead to long-term urinary and reproductive problems.

 

Proton therapy largely prevents these sensitive areas from receiving any measurable dose of excess radiation – making it ideal for a variety of genitourinary cancers including prostate cancer and uterine cancer.

 

Genitourinary cancers we treat with proton radiation therapy include:

Patients at the New York Proton Center receive Pencil Beam Scanning, a highly sophisticated and the most modern form of proton therapy. As the name implies, Pencil Beam Scanning uses an extremely narrow beam of protons to “paint” the intended radiation dose onto the tumor. Our Pencil Beam Scanning technology can target different parts of the tumor with different radiation dose levels, while better protecting the surrounding normal tissues from irradiation.

Not all proton therapy is created equal

Most proton centers use “volumetric” beams that deliver a fixed quantity of energy to the entire tumor. But the pencil beam scanning technology at the New York Proton Center delivers “intensity-modulated proton therapy,” or IMPT.

 

Widely considered the most advanced form of proton therapy, IMPT can target different parts of the tumor with different radiation dose levels based on the prescription and tumor’s exact location, while better protecting the surrounding normal tissues from irradiation. That’s particularly valuable when treating the most complicated tumors, those residing in the fissures of the head, neck and skull base.

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How can we help?

Want to find out if proton therapy might be a good fit for you or your patient? Call us at 833-NYPROTON (833-697-7686) or fill out the appropriate form below.