Is Proton Therapy Right For You?
Even if you have been told that you are a good candidate for traditional radiation therapy, proton therapy may be an option.
Your medical team will provide information about whether you are a good candidate for proton therapy after evaluating your specific needs. We will consider factors like your type of cancer, its location and your physical well- being. Your team of cancer experts at Miami Cancer Institute may also recommend other treatments in conjunction with proton therapy.
While the benefits of proton therapy are numerous, it may not be the best treatment for your specific type of cancer, and a different course of treatment may be recommended. With all of the most advanced treatment technologies available at Miami Cancer Institute, rest assured your team will fully discuss these recommendations with you so you can feel confident in making the best treatment choice.
If you would like to request a consultation, please call 786-596-2000 or fill out our online form. and our team will be happy to help you.
Delivering More Precise Treatments
One of the advantages of proton therapy is the ability to minimize radiation exposure to healthy tissue. This is accomplished by selecting proton energies that stop only in the tumor and by using pencil-beam scanning (PBS) technology. We are the only Proton Therapy Center in South Florida with PBS technology, which brings a new level of precision in dose delivery to the tumor. The narrow (pencil) proton beam is magnetically steered to paint the entire tumor with radiation using a layer by layer approach—similar to a 3D printer.
Our physicists and dosimetrists are able to shape the treatment beam to match the specific shape of your tumor while avoiding healthy tissues. This makes treatment more effective and efficient, with the potential for fewer clinical side effects and shorter overall treatment time.
Your Proton Therapy Experience
At Miami Cancer Institute, we believe that every patient deserves exceptional care – with the best possible treatment options and the highest level of compassion. Our expert team and state-of-the-art technology are combined under one roof, so your treatment is more convenient and less disruptive to your life.
Upon arrival, you’ll be warmly greeted by our staff who will tend to every aspect of your treatment with skill and kindness.
Our patients actually helped with the design of our facility and beautiful outdoor spaces. The result is an environment that promotes healing: a tranquil setting filled with natural light that radiates comfort. The three treatment rooms at the Proton Therapy Center, each equipped with pencil-beam scanning, were designed with soft lighting, ample privacy and comfortable amenities to enhance your treatment experience.
Proton Therapy Treatments
Typically, you will receive proton therapy as an outpatient with no overnight hospital stay required. The number of treatment sessions will vary based upon your type and stage of cancer.
The first step will be developing your individual treatment plan based upon specialized CT or MRI scans. You’ll be placed on a treatment table in the same position that you will receive treatment. Your treatment team will then determine the amount of radiation to deliver over a certain period of time. Generally, when patients have proton therapy treatments, they come to the center several times a week over a period of multiple weeks.
When it’s time for treatment, you will be placed on a table and x-rays will be taken to make sure you are properly positioned. We will also use some form of immobilization to make sure you don’t move during treatment – proton therapy is that accurate. Each treatment session generally takes from 10 to 15 minutes, and you will not feel the proton radiation as it is administered. You may be repositioned several times and the process repeated.
Our staff closely monitors your treatment, and you will be able to communicate with them the entire time your therapy is taking place. Rarely do patients require anesthesia during treatment, although sedatives may be given to younger children so they can remain completely still during their session. Usually, patients can resume normal activities immediately after treatment.
Proactive Approach to Managing Side Effects
At Miami Cancer Institute, we understand your concern about how cancer treatments may affect your day-to-day life. We help you understand what to expect during each phase of your treatment and our team takes a proactive approach to managing any side effects.
Our specially trained radiation oncologists and physicists understand how to optimize proton technology to increase the dose to your tumor while reducing the dose to surrounding healthy tissue. This shortens your treatments while improving the impact of the dose. In fact, with proton therapy, the dose may be increased beyond what traditional radiation will allow. But because normal tissue is spared, there are fewer side effects and a better quality of life.
For Out of Town Patients
Many patients who come to Miami Cancer Institute for our specialized cancer care are from outside of the South Florida area. Currently, the new Hilton Miami/Dadeland hotel is under construction on the Baptist Hospital campus near the Institute. The full-service, 184-room facility is scheduled to open in late 2018, providing patients and their families with a convenient on-campus hotel offering easy access to our services. In the meantime, our staff can recommend nearby hotels, help you find accommodations and make other recommendations to make your stay more pleasant.