Proton therapy

Alejandro N Torres Santos

Physics can be used in all aspects in our life, including saving lives. Proton therapy is an example of that. Was the american physic Robert Wilson the first person to talk about proton therapy in 1941, since then this program refined and expanded these techniques while treating 9,116 patients that suffer of cancer. The first treatments were made by particle accelerator made by physicians in Sweden. Its commonly know that we can cure cancer using radiation with x-rays, but we know that is a painful process with side effects that includes hair loss, radiation nausea and fatigue. Using proton therapy all the side effects are gone and patients can continue normally with their life after their treatment.

Cancer is a known disease that destroys tissue with uncontrolled growth. Society is trying to fight this disease that is killing 8 million people each year, so we have different types of treatments. Proton therapy is one of many treatments but people may not know about it. Tissues are made up of molecules with atoms. In the center of every atom is the nucleus and inside are orbiting negatively charged electrons. The protons pulls electrons out of their orbits.  With their positive charge they attract the negatively charged electrons occurring  the ionization that changes the characteristics of the atom and  the character of the molecule within which the atom resides. In other words protons damage the DNA of cells, causing their death or interfering with their ability to reproduce. The cancerous cells have a high rate of division, their reduced ability to repair damaged DNA is particularly vulnerable to attack on their DNA, so by adjusting the energy of the protons during application of treatment the cell damage due to the proton beam is maximized in the specified cancerous area (tumor).

The important characteristic that defines proton therapy is that doesn’t damage other tissue closer to the tumor because other areas receive less radiation. Contrary to the conventional x-rays that results in most of their energy from a single conventional x-ray beam being deposited in normal tissues near the body's surface, as well as undesirable energy deposition beyond the tumor site. This undesirable pattern of energy placement can result in damage to healthy tissues close to the cancerous area.  Standard x-ray therapy and proton beams work on the principle of selective cell destruction.  The major advantage of proton treatment over conventional radiation is that the energy distribution of protons can be directed and deposited in tissue volumes designated by the physicians-in a three-dimensional pattern. Proton therapy is also best than surgery if the tumor is located in places were surgeries are risky like closer to the brain and other important organs. After the treatment patient experiences a better quality of life and feels nothing during the process. The minimized normal-tissue injury results fewer effects following treatment, such as nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. The problem with proton therapy is that needs a high cost machine which cost is approximately half a million dollar. Also is available only in nine centers in the worlds, making this treatment one of the most expensive and exclusives ones.