Proton therapy for recurrent cancer

Following radiation treatment, some tumors may unfortunately recur in the same spot as before. Retreating these tumors with conventional photon therapy can expose nearby organs to yet more radiation—which is a big problem, since the human body can only tolerate a certain amount of radiation over a lifetime.

In contrast, proton therapy deposits very little radiation into nearby organs. So it is ideal for retreating a tumor that has recurred and can offer many patients a new potential chance at cure.

The clinical staff at the New York Proton Center includes Dr. Charles B. Simone, one of the world’s foremost experts in treating cancer recurrences.

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.