The Role of Proton Therapy in Breast Cancer Management

Radiotherapy has a crucial role in the multidisciplinary management of breast cancer.

- Swati Amar

Tremendous improvements in recent times in technology and expertise in the management of breast cancer have improved breast cancer survival and facilitated greater understanding of potential long-term morbidity associated with dose and volume of organs subjected to radiation. Proton Therapy is a recent advancement that uses protons or positively charged particles to target and destroy breast cancer cells with great precision, minimising the risk of damage to surrounding tissues and critical organs like the heart and the lungs. Dr. Sapna Nangia, Director-Department of Radiation Oncology (Head Neck & Breast), Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, Tharamani, Chennai, speaks at length about proton therapy in the treatment of breast cancer.

Radiation Therapy in Treatment of Breast Cancer

According to Dr. Sapna Radiation Therapy is an essential component of the treatment of breast cancer, improving survival outcomes of the patients favourably. Radiation prevents the disease from recurring locally in the chest wall when the breast has been removed as well as in the lymph nodal basin.

Oligometastatic disease is a subtype of metastatic breast cancer, an intermediate state between localized and widely spread cancer where aggressive local treatment has shown great promise. Patients with oligometastatic disease have been treated successfully with short radiation treatment between one to five sittings of radiation.

Radiation therapy has helped relieve pain and prolong life as a palliative treatment.

Proton Therapy

"In radiation therapy the endeavour of the oncologist is to reduce the dose to normal structures as much as possible , delivering dose as low as allowed. Reducing the dose to normal structures improves the survival of the patients. Today breast cancer patients have good long-term survival and quality of life, and this can be improved thanks to Proton Therapy," says Dr. Sapna.