Proton for Pediatric Cancer Tumors - Pass it on!

It’s remarkable that so few people know about protons. I frequently bring up this subject when I am talking about my son’s recovery from ewing’s sarcoma cancer and most people say, “what is proton?” I start with an easy, “a targeted form of radiation, more bullet-like and precise than traditional radiation.” I go on to explain my son was only 2 when he was diagnosed and had a lot of growing parts that we didn’t particularly want touched with radiation like his heart and his lungs. Most people get that. Targeted sounds good, but why radiation at all?

Most people don’t understand that over half of people diagnosed with cancer will be prescribed radiation as part of their protocol to get better and that includes children. Chemotherapy is not a targeted or precise method in destroying cancer, in that you have to destroy many good cells when going after the bad cancer cells. This is the reason fast growing healthy cells such as hair, and mouth cells die along with the bad. Same holds true with radiation, in that a beam is directed at the cancer tumor site and the radiation hopefully destroys the cancerous cells and the cells surrounding the tumor bed. We want to destroy the bad cells without destroying the good and healthy ones beyond the cancerous tumor bed. Proton accomplished this because of the Bragg peak. The Bragg peak describes how the energy enters the body and deposits the radiation in the tumor target but not much beyond. It really is that simple. Proton works better because of the Bragg peak.

Proton gets given to pediatric cases because family and friends educate themselves and pass it onto loved ones, friends, and those fighting the beast that is taking our children with it. PROTON FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER - PASS IT ON!