Treating Spinal Cord Tumors With Proton Therapy

Abnormal cells that grow out of control in the spinal cord are classified as spinal cord tumors. Tumors in the spine are designated as benign or noncancerous and likely not life-threatening, or malignant, which are cancerous and dangerous as they can spread throughout the body.

Tumors in the spinal cord are more likely to spread, and even if benign, can impact or destroy normal tissue, which can become life-threatening. Similarly, both benign and malignant spinal cord tumors can be life-threatening.

In many cases, proton therapy is the optimal treatment option for tumors in the spine. With proton therapy, a concentrated dose of radiation is applied directly to the tumor, avoiding impact on the nerves that control the ability to see, hear and move, and limiting exposure on vital, healthy cells around the spine. Traditional radiation or photon therapy can expose these nearby areas to unnecessary high doses of radiation.

Proton therapy is a method of choice to limit exposure to other organs and tissues, especially for pediatric patients, who have many decades of life remaining. Protons are also used to treat recurrent brain and spinal cord tumors that were previously treated with traditional X-ray radiation therapy.

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

The Maryland Proton Treatment Center (MPTC) Treats a Variety of Spinal Tumors with Proton Therapy:

• Chordomas
• Chondrosarcomas
• Metastatic tumors
• Ependymomas
• Ewing’s sarcomas
• Sarcomas