Proton therapy for pediatric cancer: are we ready for prime time?

• Published in: Future oncology (London, England) Vol. 13; no. 1; pp. 5 - 8
• Main Authors: Chapman, Tobias R, Ermoian, Ralph P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Future Medicine Ltd 01.01.2017
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age Factors; Brain cancer; Breast cancer; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Cardiovascular disease; Child; Child, Preschool; Clinical trials; Cost analysis; Cost control; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Dosimetry; efficacy; Growth hormones; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Oncology; pediatric cancer; Pediatrics; proton radiotherapy; Proton Therapy - adverse effects; Proton Therapy - economics; Proton Therapy - methods; Quality of life; Radiation therapy; Retina; Retinoblastoma; Treatment Outcome; Tumors; United States > US; Massachusetts; proton radiotherapy; efficacy; pediatric cancer
• ISSN: 1479-6694; 1744-8301
• DOI: 10.2217/fon-2016-0373

[...]it is imperative to deliver effective radiation therapy with the least morbidity possible in the treatment of children with cancer. [...]on Children’s Oncology Group trials that allow PBT, the radiation modality is determined by the treating physician and identical prescription doses and organs at risk dose constraints are used. Dosimetric studies of PBT craniospinal irradiation have demonstrated reduced dose to organs at risk distal to the target that would be expected to result in decreased late risks of infertility and ovarian failure(5), heart disease(6) and secondary breast cancer(7), among other benefits. [...]nonocular tumors among survivors of retinoblastoma treated with contemporary photon and proton radiotherapy.