Proton Therapy for Brain Tumors
Treat Brain Cancer With Proton Therapy
Cancerous or malignant tumors in the brain or the central nervous system can disrupt normal brain function and trigger various symptoms. The exact cause of brain cancer is not always known, but certain risk factors, such as exposure to radiation or a family history of the disease, may increase the likelihood of developing it.Â
The brain is a highly sensitive organ, and traditional radiation therapy can cause damage to healthy brain tissue, leading to side effects such as cognitive impairment, seizures, weakness and headaches. Proton therapy, on the other hand, can be directed precisely at the tumor, sparing healthy tissue from unnecessary radiation exposure. This helps to reduce the risk of side effects and long-term complications, such as cognitive dysfunction and radiation-induced secondary tumors.
Comparison image – Proton Therapy is on the left, Photon Therapy is on the right
The Maryland Proton Treatment Center (MPTC) Uses Proton Therapy to Treat a Variety of Cancers in the Brain:
- Oligodendrogliomas
- Medulloblastomas
- Ependymomas
- Craniopharyngiomas
- Low-grade, high-grade and recurrent gliomas
- Meningiomas
- Pineal tumors
- Pituitary tumors
- Tumors of the base of skull
- Vascular malformations
- Â Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs)
Patient Experience
“The nurses and therapists that work with her each day are just amazing. I am so grateful that we decided to get treatment here,” says Joyce Buchanan, mother of pediatric brain tumor patient Kaela Buchanan. Read her story here.