PPF
Monday, March 26, 2012
Pediatric Proton Responds To Bloomberg Article
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-26/prostate-cancer-therapy-too-good-to-be-true-explodes-health-cost.html
Pediatric Proton Response:
One thing I find common in articles such as this that bash proton therapy for prostate cancer is that the author agrees there is consensus regarding proton therapy for many pediatric cancer cases. There is consensus because you can see from any comparative pediatric treatment plan protons are pinpoint targeted, provide no exit dose to surrounding healthy areas and this results in better outcomes for children still growing and developing. There are also studies that show reduced risk of secondary malignancy for children when protons are used. Yet in 2010 only 465 pediatric cases were treated in the U.S. partly because of access issues to protons with only 10 operating centers. With the likes of Mayo Clinic and St Jude Children’s Research Hospital in process of building proton centers, it will be a true milestone for our children when protons become the standard of care for all pediatric cancer cases
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I second, third and fourth this statement. I'm not a child, but I sat in the waiting room with many children undergoing Proton Therapy, as I myself was undergoing treatment for a very rare cancerous brain tumor. I wouldn't be in the shape I'm in, or perhaps not here at all if it weren't for Proton Therapy at Mass General Hospital. Four years ago when I was treated I found it hard to find doctors who supported it. Believe it or not I recently can see that there has been slow progress made in these four years towards more understanding, acceptance, and recommendation of this life saving, less lifed altering treatment. For more of my story, you can go to brain-matters.org
ReplyDeleteGreat blog! I work in the medical billing industry so I always like to find healthcare blogs to keep up on the latest news. Thanks for this info about pediatric cancer.
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