Treat Liver Cancer With Proton Therapy
The liver is one of the most important organs in the body, as it plays a key role in digestion. It breaks down food and drink to enable nutrients to be used and waste eliminated from the body.
Different cells in the liver can develop into cancer, and based on their type and location, a variety of treatment options exist. According to American Cancer Society records, liver cancer rates have tripled in the last 40 years, and death rates have doubled during this same time period.
Comparison image – Proton Therapy is on the left, Photon Therapy is on the right
How Is Liver Cancer Treated?
Liver cancer is treated with surgery, ablation, embolization, chemotherapy, drug therapy, immunotherapy and radiation therapy. Due to the close proximity of the liver to other critical structures such as the stomach, pancreas, gallbladder, large intestine and bile duct, precise targeting of radiation is a critical factor in treatment.
With proton therapy, a concentrated dose of radiation is applied directly to the tumor in the esophagus, limiting toxicity and harm to the vital, healthy tissue surrounding it. As a result, the risk of side effects is significantly reduced with protons.
MPTC Uses Proton Therapy to Treat a Variety of Liver Cancers:
- Hepatocellular carcinoma
- Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer)
- Angiosarcoma and hemangiosarcoma (blood vessels of the liver)
- Hepatoblastoma
- Secondary liver cancer
The use of proton therapy to treat liver cancers can offer several benefits compared to traditional radiation therapy:
Improved Quality of Life
Proton therapy delivers a high dose of radiation to the tumor while minimizing radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissue and liver. This can help reduce the risk of side effects, such as radiation-induced damage to the gastrointestinal system that could impact the ability to taste, eat, digest food and drink, and eliminate waste.
