Treat Uterine Cancer With Proton Therapy
Endometrial cancer is the most common cancer in the female reproductive system. It starts in the inner lining of the uterus, called the endometrium, and grows out of control. Uncommon in women under age 45, endometrial cancer mainly affects postmenopausal women. The average age of a woman diagnosed with endometrial cancer is 60 years old.
Often, cancer may not appear with symptoms. It develops when abnormal cells transform into cancer. Advanced cervical cancer can be evident with abnormal bleeding or discharge, and it is detected through HPV testing and the Papanicolaou (Pap) test.
Comparison image – Proton Therapy is on the left, Photon Therapy is on the right
How Is Uterine Cancer Treated?
Uterine cancer is treated with surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted drug therapy and immunotherapy. Women who don’t plan to have children in the future may opt for a total hysterectomy, or the removal of the uterus and cervix. A radical hysterectomy, which additionally includes removal of the pelvic lymph nodes, may be needed if the cancer has spread beyond the uterus. Often chemotherapy and radiation are included as part of the treatment plan.
When considering radiation, proton therapy is often preferred to treat uterine cancer. Proton therapy applies a concentrated dose of radiation directly to the diseased area, limiting harm to the vital, healthy tissues surrounding it that are often exposed with traditional photon therapy. In addition, side effects are minimized with proton therapy.
The Maryland Proton Treatment Center (MPTC) Uses Proton Therapy to Treat a Variety of Endometrial and Uterine Cancers:
- Adenocarcinoma
- Uterine carcinoma
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Small cell carcinomas
- Transitional carcinoma
- Serious carcinoma
- Uterine sarcomas
