Proton Therapy for Lymphoma

Treat Lymphoma With Proton Therapy

Lymphoma is the appearance of cancer cells in the lymphatic system, which fights germs throughout the body. The white blood cells or lymphocytes grow out of control and cause swollen lymph nodes and growths throughout the body. 

Comparison image – Proton Therapy is on the left, Photon Therapy is on the right

How Is Lymphoma Treated?

Lymphoma is a highly treatable form of cancer. Many people with lymphoma are cured with chemotherapy and radiation and go on to live long, healthy lives. For this reason, minimizing the radiation dose on healthy tissues – such as the heart, lungs, breast and esophagus – is necessary to reduce the risk of developing future health problems as a result of radiation exposure.

Proton therapy, a form of radiation, stops at the site of the tumor, limiting unnecessary radiation exposure to nearby organs like the heart, lungs, breast and esophagus. This can be especially helpful as many patients with these highly curable cancers are young adults and adolescents with many decades of life left. Proton therapy for lymphoma has been shown to minimize the long-term impact related to heart disease, lung cancer and breast cancer, especially for people who have previously received chest radiation.

Patient Experience

“The little things, like free valet parking and being greeted by name, made a big difference. The building is beautiful and you don’t feel like you’re in a hospital,” says Maryland Proton Treatment Center Patient Marie Barton. Read her story here.

The Maryland Proton Treatment Center (MPTC) Uses Protons to Treat a Variety of Lymphomas:

Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphomas

• B-cell lymphomas (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, mantle cell lymphoma, marginal zone B-cell lymphomas, Burkitt lymphoma, hairy cell leukemia, primary central nervous system lymphoma)
• T-cell lymphomas (precursor t-lymphoblastic lymphoma/leukemia, peripheral t-cell lymphomas)

Recurrent Lymphoma: Proton therapy is safely used for recurrent cancers, sparing additional radiation to adjacent organs like the heart, lungs, breast and esophagus.