Proton beam therapy (PBT) is a highly precise form of radiation therapy that accurately targets tumours, allowing the delivery of a high dose of radiation while minimising exposure to surrounding healthy tissues. This includes critical structures such as healthy portions of the lung, the unaffected second lung, the heart, and the oesophagus. By reducing radiation exposure to these areas, PBT helps lower the risk of acute and long-term side effects, such as esophagitis and radiation-induced heart disease, while preserving lung function.
Proton beam therapy is an excellent option for certain lung cancer patients who need effective treatment with fewer side effects. Its ability to treat specific cancers, including lung cancer, with reduced toxicity and improved outcomes makes it an important consideration for eligible patients.
In this article, we explore the effectiveness of the treatment, side effects and who would be suitable.
Can proton beam therapy treat lung cancer?
Yes, proton beam therapy is effective in treating lung cancer and can be used for both non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), small cell lung cancer (SCLC), mesothelioma, and thymoma.
How can proton therapy treat lung cancer?
During proton beam therapy for lung cancer, a precise dose of radiation is delivered directly to the tumour, while minimising radiation dose and damage to the surrounding healthy tissues, resulting in fewer side effects.
Lung cancer can be effectively treated in a number of different ways, including surgery, standard photon radiotherapy, stereotactic radiotherapy and proton beam therapy.
Proton beam therapy may be recommended over other treatments if it allows the tumour to be treated effectively while minimising the effect of radiotherapy on adjacent healthy normal tissues, which is sometimes not possible with standard photon or stereotactic radiotherapy because of delivering excessive dose to the normal tissues. This is because, during treatment, the proton beam delivers radiation dose to the tumour, treating it and then stopping just beyond the tumour, so minimising delivery of further dose to the surrounding normal tissues which are spared.
What makes proton therapy different to traditional radiation therapy for lung cancer?
Proton therapy is uniquely distinct from traditional radiation therapy in a number of ways:
- Beam type – Proton beam therapy incorporates high-energy proton beams whereas standard radiation therapy uses electromagnetic radiation (photons).
- Damage to surrounding healthy tissue – proton beam therapy is less likely to damage adjacent healthy normal tissues because of the way the proton beam travels through the patient, delivering the dose to the tumour and stopping just beyond it, so reducing the dose to the normal tissues.
- Exit radiation – photon radiotherapy involves a photon beam which travels through the body depositing radiation dose along its path, and comes out of the other side of the body (the exit dose). Proton beam therapy does not have an exit dose because of the ability of the proton beam to stop just beyond the tumour.
What are the advantages of proton therapy for lung cancer?
For some lung cancers, proton beam therapy is better able to deliver the optimal radiotherapy dose to the tumour than standard photon radiotherapy. This is because of its ability to minimise dose to adjacent healthy normal tissues.
Being able to deliver a high radiotherapy dose to the tumour gives the best chance of controlling the tumour and hopefully curing it.
Significantly reduced radiation to healthy lung tissue
Proton beam therapy can reduce radiation to healthy surrounding normal tissues and organs, which can reduce both acute side effects during and shortly after treatment, and late side effects in the months and years after treatment, compared with standard photon radiotherapy.
For lung cancers, this is particularly important for sparing dose to the unaffected lungs, heart, spinal cord and oesophagus, which can often be located close to the tumour.
Better treatment for recurrent cancer
For patients who have undergone standard photon radiotherapy, receiving additional radiation treatment for recurrent or new lung cancer may not be an option because of the radiation dose that healthy normal tissues near the tumour have already received.
Proton beam therapy, with its reduced radiation exposure to surrounding normal tissues, offers the opportunity to deliver a further dose of radiotherapy to the recurrent or new tumour which may not be possible with standard photon radiotherapy.
Reduced likelihood of secondary cancers
As proton beam therapy delivers less radiation to healthy normal tissues, proton beam therapy can lower the risk of causing new radiation-induced cancers, which can develop many years after treatment in the same location as the radiotherapy.
Who is a good lung cancer candidate for proton beam therapy?
The following patients may be suitable for proton beam therapy for lung cancer:
- Have a tumour that cannot be removed surgically
- Are not able to tolerate surgery or be fit enough for it
- Larger tumours, located towards the centre of the chest
- Have had previous radiotherapy to the chest, either for a previous lung cancer or for a different cancer
- Have limited or poor pulmonary (lung) function, which means it is important to reduce radiation dose to normal lung as much as possible.
The suitability for proton beam therapy is very individualised, and so it is important that you talk to your doctor to discuss whether it might be an appropriate treatment for your particular tumour.
For private proton beam therapy lung cancer treatment, get in touch
At Proton International London we offer the highest quality service focused on patients’ health, comfort, and wellbeing. We personally support each patient from the initial approval stage of their medical journey through to treatment and aftercare, without any delay whatsoever.
With travel and accommodation arrangements made in advance for patients visiting outside the UK, we make the process as smooth, seamless and reassuring as possible.
Conclusion
A range of lung cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, mesothelioma and thymoma may be suitable for proton beam therapy, which may be better able than standard photon radiotherapy to deliver the required radiotherapy dose while sparing adjacent healthy normal tissues.
The ability to deliver the required radiotherapy is essential to give the best chances of treatment success and potential for cure. For some patients, proton beam therapy can offer opportunities for treatment of their tumour that is not possible with surgery or standard photon radiotherapy.
To learn more about proton beam therapy treatment for lung cancer, get in touch with us now.
