Proton therapy beam therapy doctor in Delhi, also called proton beam therapy, is a type of radiation therapy. It uses protons instead of X-rays to treat cancer.
Protons are positively charged particles. High-energy protons can destroy cancer cells. Doctors can use proton therapy alone. They can also combine it with X-ray radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, and/or immunotherapy.
Like X-ray radiation, proton therapy is an external beam radiation therapy. It can pass radiation through the skin painlessly from machines outside the human body.
Principles of proton therapy
A machine called a synchrotron or cyclotron can accelerate the speed of protons. The high speed of protons produces high energy. This energy allows protons to travel to the required depth in the body. The protons then give the target radiation dose in the tumor.
With proton therapy, the radiation dose outside the tumor is less. In conventional radiotherapy, X-rays continue to produce radiation doses when they leave the body. This means that radiation can damage nearby healthy tissues and may cause side effects.
What to expect
People usually receive proton therapy in an outpatient clinic. This means that they do not need to be treated in the hospital. The number of treatments depends on the type and stage of cancer.
Sometimes, doctors will provide proton therapy in 1 to 5 proton beam treatments. They usually use larger daily radiation doses for fewer treatments. This is commonly called stereotactic body radiation therapy. If a person receives a large dose of radiation, it is usually called radiosurgery.
