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