PROTON THERAPY COMES TO GEORGIA

BY ANA MEHRANIAN –   The first of its kind in the state, the Emory Proton Therapy Center provides cutting-edge cancer treatment to Georgia residents. Centrally located in Midtown Atlanta, a short walk from the Emory University Hospital, it officially opened its doors with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on December 6th, 2018. A branch of the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory, the only National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated comprehensive cancer center in the state, the Emory Proton Therapy Center adds a powerful tool to the existing treatment options already offered by Emory. The scientists and physicians at comprehensive cancer centers are supported by the NCI to conduct cancer research and provide services and treatments to patients. Generally speaking, proton therapy is not readily available as it requires highly specialized equipment, however Georgia residents now have the Emory Proton Therapy Center as an accessible resource.

Proton therapy is an FDA-approved treatment that can be combined with surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and other drug therapies to create a customized treatment plan for each patient. Proton therapy has been used in cancer treatment for over forty years and is quickly becoming the gold standard in cancer treatment. Known for its ability to effectively administer precise doses of radiation, it directs a single beam of high energy protons to tumor sites, killing cancer cells and sparing healthy tissue.

As the positively charged protons pass near the nuclei of the atoms that make up the molecules of tissue cells, they attract the negatively charged orbiting electrons, pulling them out of orbits. This process, called ionization, changes the composition of the atom and subsequently, the molecule as a whole. Ionization damages essential cell components such as cell walls and DNA, hindering crucial cell functions such as division, growth, and proliferation, eventually leading to cancer cell death. Although ionization damages healthy and cancerous cells in the same way, the precision that proton therapy provides prevents healthy tissue damage, rendering it more effective than traditional radiation therapy.

Traditional radiation therapy kills malignant cells by damaging their DNA through the administration of x-ray beams to the tumor sites. Unlike protons, x-rays deposit energy into surrounding tissues, causing damage to healthy tissues. The first tissues to be damaged are those composed of cells with high turnover rates such as hair, skin, and bone marrow, causing a host of unwanted side effects such as hair loss, digestive issues and dryness and blistering of the skin. Proton beams deliver a minimal entrance dose and deposit the majority of the energy directly into the tumor site. There is also no exit dose, meaning none of the energy exits into healthy tissue after entering the tumor site. Although the symptoms of proton therapy depend on the dosage and treatment site, studies suggest that it may cause a reduction in the severity of certain symptoms such as low blood counts, fatigue, and nausea.

Proton therapy precision allows radiation oncologists to determine within a millimeter where the energy will be deposited, making it ideal for treating a wide variety of cancers and benign conditions such as pediatric cancers, head and and neck cancers, brain and spine tumors and lung, breast, bone, pelvic, and prostate cancers. Along with these benefits, proton-therapy reduces collateral tissue damage, radiation side effects, occurrences of secondary tumors, and total treatment costs. The Emory Proton Therapy Center is one of 26 facilities in the nation and one of the few in the southeast to provide patients with this cutting-edge radiation therapy. Georgians no longer have to be referred out of state because proton therapy is here.