How To Treat Acromegaly

Proton Beam Therapy

Proton beam therapy uses protons (positively-charged particles) instead of radiation to destroy cancerous cells. Like radiation, proton beam therapy is painless and noninvasive, and each session takes around fifteen to thirty minutes. Patients normally receive one to five sessions in total. Before each session, the patient will have x-rays or CT scans to ensure they are positioned in the same spot for each treatment, allowing the protons to hit the tumor instead of surrounding tissues. Potential side effects of proton beam therapy are similar to those of radiation and may include fatigue, and skin redness, blistering, peeling, or dryness. Due to the highly specialized equipment needed to deliver proton therapy, it is only available at a few centers around the United States.