Children's Proton Therapy Treatment
Pediatric proton therapy is an ideal treatment option for many types of childhood cancer. University Hospitals Proton Therapy Center, in conjunction with the Angie Fowler Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer Institute at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, is pleased to offer this innovative therapy to effectively treat several cancers in children and young adults.
University Hospitals Proton Therapy Center is one of the only proton centers in the world that is located on the same campus as a full-service, nationally ranked children's hospital — UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital.
Benefits of Proton Therapy
Proton therapy is a far more focused treatment than traditional radiation therapy, targeting the affected area while limiting radiation to the surrounding healthy tissue. It is often an ideal treatment option for children, whose developing bodies are especially prone to radiation side effects. Children's proton therapy offers significant benefits to young patients, including:
- Limiting radiation exposure to still-developing young bodies
- Decreased risk for radiation-induced secondary cancers, developmental delays and growth abnormalities
- Limiting radiation can decrease side effects of treatment, like fatigue and skin irritation at or around the treatment site.
Cancers We Treat
Protons are most successful in treating solid tumors with well-defined borders that have not spread. Children with tumors in critical areas such as the brain, head, neck, lungs and spine may benefit from the precise dosage of radiation provided by proton therapy.
What to Expect from Pediatric Proton Therapy
In general, proton therapy for children follows the same process as adult therapy. Learn more about adult proton therapy in our "What to Expect During Proton Therapy" resource.
Sedation can be used during proton therapy treatment sessions in children if needed — proton therapy requires the patient to remain quite still for up to an hour, which some children may struggle with. UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital established one of the first freestanding pediatric sedation units and is a leader in IV-based sedative medicine for radiation.
The treatment process for receiving proton therapy is very similar to receiving X-ray treatments. During a session, the actual proton beam time is about one to two minutes, but each treatment session may last up to an hour due to the time spent positioning the patient. Proton therapy sessions for children can vary, as with any patient, but most are scheduled daily (Monday through Friday) over a period of up to eight weeks. Because treatments are noninvasive, patients are able to continue with their daily activities throughout treatment.
Learn More About Proton Therapy at University Hospitals
To contact the UH Proton Therapy Center about proton therapy for children, call 216-286-7768. If you would like to continue learning about proton therapy, refer to the resources below: