Comparing Proton Therapy with Conventional Surgery
When faced with cancer, you’ll need to decide which treatment options are best. Thanks to recent technological innovations, proton therapy is a highly sought after non-invasive cancer treatment method. Proton therapy uses radiation is a different way than a standard x ray does. No one wants radiation spilling over into noncancerous cells. In this post, you will learn why many people prefer proton therapy to conventional cancer removal surgery.
The Benefits of Proton Treatment
Many patients prefer proton therapy because it is not invasive. The most a patient will need to really do is wear an immobilization device. The device sounds a lot scarier than it really is. You will wear this device only to ensure you are as still as possible. Combining stillness with proton treatment is highly effective at targeting cancerous cells.
Another benefit of cancer proton therapy is how short the treatments are. In most cases, a cancer treatment center will have a proton treatment session done within 15 to 45 minutes. It’s tough to find a procedure as effective as proton therapy that is completed in such a short amount of time.
The most important benefit of cancer proton therapy is how effective it is. Numerous studies have found that those suffering from prostate cancer benefit highly from proton treatment. One study found that 94% of prostate cancer sufferers who have undergone proton therapy showed no impairment of sexual activity afterward. Another study found 99 percent of men with low risk prostate cancer have no signs of cancer in data collected five years after proton therapy.
Drawbacks of Conventional Surgery
One thing that many don’t like about surgery is having to be put under sedation. Not being in control of your facilities is a common fear. Many conventional surgeries will need a patient to be placed under heavy sedation. A patient is required to be sedated because most conventional surgeries are invasive.
Another drawback of conventional surgery is that it is often expensive. Surgeons do work every single day that only highly trained professionals can carry out. Therefore, the time of a surgeon is very valuable and that reflects in the bills you will receive. Patients looking for a less expensive treatment option may benefit more from proton therapy.
Many patients prefer a procedure that has them at home as fast as possible. Conventional surgeries typically have a patient at the hospital to recover. You could spend days in a hospital after having surgery performed. Cancer proton therapy usually has patients back at home the same day.
In summary, cancer proton therapy is the preferred choice for many patients. There are several advanced cancer treatment options someone might face. Proton therapy is often seen as less invasive than conventional surgery. A proton treatment session is completed at a fairly quick rate. This type of treatment targets cancerous cells without having large amounts of radiation spread throughout the body. Research shows that there are nearly 30 proton centers currently in operation.