Treatments

Proton Therapy for Sarcoma

Proton therapy is an advanced treatment that delivers radiation to the exact size, shape and depth of your tumor. It lets your physician treat your cancer while helping to protect nearby tissue. This makes proton therapy a good option for treating tumors near healthy organs, including sarcomas.

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“My biggest fear when it came to choosing a treatment plan was either that it wouldn’t work or that it might do damage elsewhere. I am a scientist, I did my research and I decided on proton therapy.”

— Jim, sarcoma survivor

Read Jim's story

When Is Proton Therapy an Option?

Patients with sarcoma may have a wide range of treatment options, based on the type, location and stage of the cancer. Usually, treatment options include proton therapy, standard X-ray radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, cryotherapy and radiofrequency ablation.

Proton therapy is an important option, especially if:

Your tumor is in your abdomen or close to vital organs.
You are trying to preserve certain functions, like your fertility.
You have had radiation therapy before.
Your cancer has come back after treatment (possibly in a different part of your body than your original tumor).

Compared to standard radiation therapy, proton radiation therapy can be better at sparing healthy tissue near the tumor from the harmful effects of radiation. This matters most if you are likely to need treatment several times over many years.

Chemotherapy Treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. It may be given alone or with other treatments. Treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Chemotherapy may be given by mouth, injection, infusion or on the skin, depending on the type and stage of the cancer being treated. It may be given alone or with other treatments, such as surgery, radiation therapy or biologic therapy. Radiation therapy The use of high-energy radiation from X-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, protons and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. The use of high-energy radiation from x-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, protons and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external-beam radiation therapy), or it may come from radioactive material placed in the body near cancer cells (internal radiation therapy or brachytherapy). Systemic radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance, such as a radiolabeled monoclonal antibody, that travels in the blood to tissues throughout the body. Stage The extent of a cancer in the body. Staging is usually based on the size of the tumor, whether lymph nodes contain cancer and whether the cancer has spread from the original site to other parts of the body. Ablation Treatment to remove or destroy all or part of a cancer; also used to remove or stop organ function. Besides surgery and drugs, other types of ablation include extreme heat, freezing and chemicals.

Treatment that removes or destroys all or part of a cancer; can also be used to remove or stop the function of an organ. For example, removing the ovaries or testicles or taking medicines that cause them to stop making their hormones would be called ablation. Besides surgery and drug treatment, other ways of ablating body tissues and tumors include extreme heat, freezing and chemicals.

Types of Sarcoma Treated with Proton Therapy

Proton therapy may be an option for people with a wide range of sarcomas, including:

Chordoma
Leiomyosarcoma
Liposarcoma
Myxoid liposarcoma
Well differentiated liposarcoma
Dedifferentiated liposarcoma
Pleomorphic liposarcoma
Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma
Myxofibrosarcoma
Fibrosarcoma
Clear cell sarcoma
Angiosarcoma
Chondrosarcoma
Osteosarcoma
Spine Sarcoma
Ewings sarcoma
Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor
Rhabdomyosarcoma
Synovial sarcoma
Gastrointestinal stromal tumor
Many childhood sarcomas

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Gastrointestinal Refers to the stomach and intestines. Also called GI.

What Is Proton Therapy?

Getting Proton Therapy Treatment

Sarcoma Treatment

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Our proton therapy team is here not only to treat your disease, but to listen to you and take care of you and your family. They are experts in proton therapy who focus on giving you personalized radiation treatment and who understand your questions, needs and concerns.