PROTON BEAM THERAPY
WHAT IS PROTON BEAM THERAPY?
- Proton therapy, also called proton beam therapy, is a type of radiation therapy.
- It uses protons rather than x-rays to treat cancer. A proton is a positively charged particle.
- At high energy, protons can destroy cancer cells.
- Doctors may use proton therapy alone. They may also combine it with x-ray radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, and/or immunotherapy.
- The PBT is considered a viable alternative to radiation for treating solid tumours, especially head and neck cancers.
- It painlessly delivers radiation through the skin from a machine outside the body.
HOW IT WORKS ?
- A machine called a synchrotron or cyclotron speeds up protons.
- The high speed of the protons creates high energy.
- This energy makes the protons travel to the desired depth in the body.
- The protons then give the targeted radiation dose in the tumor.
- With proton therapy, there is less radiation dose outside of the tumor.
- In regular radiation therapy, x-rays continue to give radiation doses as they leave the person’s body. This means that radiation damages nearby healthy tissues, possibly causing side effects.
PROTON THERAPY VS X-RAY RADIATION THERAPY
Compared with x-ray radiation therapy, proton therapy has several benefits :
- Usually, up to 60% less radiation can be delivered to the healthy tissues around the tumor. This lowers the risk of radiation damage to these tissues.
- It may allow for a higher radiation dose to the tumor. This increases the chances that all of the tumor cells targeted by the proton therapy will be destroyed.
- It may cause fewer and less severe side effects such as low blood counts, fatigue, and nausea during and after treatment.
- In regular radiation therapy, x-rays continue to give radiation doses as they leave the person’s body. This means that radiation damages nearby healthy tissues, possibly causing side effects.
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF TREATMENT
- The treatment itself is painless. Afterwards, one may experience fatigue.
- Proton therapy is a type of external beam radiotherapy, and shares risks and side effects of other forms of radiation therapy.
- Patient may also have skin problems, including redness, irritation, swelling, dryness, or blistering and peeling.
- The side effects of proton therapy depend on the part of the body being treated, the size of the tumor, and the types of healthy tissue near the tumor.
CONCERNS WITH PROTON THERAPY IN INDIA
- As proton therapy requires highly specialized and costly equipment, it is available at just a few medical centers.
- It may cost more than x-ray radiation therapy. Insurance provider rules differ about which cancers are covered and how much a person needs to pay.
- Not all cancers can be treated with proton therapy.
- In the U.S., each unit of proton beam therapy serves a population of 7.9 million, while in India there is one unit for 1,412 million people.
- Setting up a Proton Beam Therapy (PBT) centre is fraught with infrastructural and regulatory challenges stemming from safety concerns from the Department of Atomic Energy.
- A PBT machine is a huge contraption, up to three storeys tall and costs nearly ₹500 crore.
- There are concerns of safety too, as hydrogen is a highly volatile element and it needs to run daily checks to prevent leak.
SYLLABUS : GS-3 MAINS, HEALTH
