Proton Therapy for Childhood Cancers

Most tumors in children are treated with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. While traditional radiation therapy with X-ray beams can be effective, it also can produce documented long-term side effects in some children, such as a decrease in bone and soft tissue growth in the treated area, hormonal deficiencies, intellectual impairment, including neuro-cognitive deficits, and secondary cancers later in life.

The ability to precisely target tumors makes proton therapy ideal for treating childhood cancer. It provides accurate treatment of tumors near or within sensitive organs while limiting radiation exposure to healthy tissues, which is vital in children whose bodies are still growing and developing. This may reduce side effects during treatment, often allowing children to better tolerate proton therapy. Additionally, studies show that proton therapy can also result in fewer late effects from treatment, a major concern among physicians and families when a child – especially a very young child – is undergoing radiation treatment. This includes potentially fewer issues with brain development for children who have been treated for brain tumors.

Though treatment can vary for each patient’s specific case, most children are treated daily, Monday through Friday, for five to six weeks. Treatment can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 ½ hours daily, depending on whether the child is sedated.

Watch this video for more information on proton therapy for childhood cancer

MD Anderson pioneered pencil beam scanning proton therapy, also called spot scanning, and has extended its benefits to children with cancer.

Pencil beam proton therapy is an even more precise form of proton therapy treatment; it can be directed to move throughout the tumor’s depth to "paint" the treatment volume with spots of radiation, conforming to the shape of the tumor and delivering thousands of spots of radiation in just a few minutes. This can provide even greater benefits to young patients with brain or other types of tumors, especially those that are oddly shaped or within or near critical structures or vital organs in the body.

MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center is the only center in North America and one of three in the world to use pencil beam scanning proton therapy to treat both pediatric and adult patients.

At MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center, we have a dedicated pediatric team that includes radiation oncologists, nurses, therapists, social workers, a child life specialist and other cancer specialists – all experts in treating children with cancer.

We also have a dedicated pediatric anesthesia team to provide anesthesia to very young children who may require daily sedation to help them remain still for their proton therapy treatment. MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center is one of the few proton therapy centers with a dedicated, on-site pediatric anesthesia team dedicated to caring for children. The specialized, experienced anesthesia support is essential for the safety and effectiveness of proton radiation delivery.

Watch this video of Shannon Popovich, M.D., explaining what parents can expect with daily anesthetic treatments in an effort to ease any apprehensions and fears parents have about their children being put to sleep for proton therapy treatment.

Because we are a part of MD Anderson Cancer Center, which has ranked as one of the nation’s top two cancer centers in U.S. News & World Report’s annual “Best Hospitals” survey for the past 25 years, our pediatric patients and their families have access to all of the resources of an internationally respected academic medical center within reach, including the Children’s Cancer Hospital at MD Anderson. And as part of the world-renowned Texas Medical Center, we have the greatest capacity for treating young patients from other major hospitals, both in our community and from around the world.

We also offer convenient, free surface lot parking at the center to help ease the burden of daily parking charges on families during treatment.