News Releases

Treating cancer patients with proton therapy instead of standard photon radiation decreases the risk of developing a secondary cancer by two-fold

Proton therapy lowers chance of later cancers

22/Sep/2008

Treatment with proton therapy (a specialized type of external beam radiation therapy using protons rather than X-rays to treat cancer) decreases the risk of patients developing a secondary cancer by two-fold, compared to being treated with standard photon radiation treatment, according to a first-of-its-kind study presented September 22, 2008, at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's 50th Annual Meeting in Boston.

Link to full ASTRO release on study led by Mass General physician Nancy Tarbell, MD.

Media Contacts: Katie Marquedant, kmarquedant@partners.org, 617-726-0337

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