Is Proton Beam Therapy Available In Scotland

Carefully measured doses of protons are delivered to the precise area needing treatment using the latest iba proteusone technology.

Is proton beam therapy available in scotland.

Proton beam therapy is also available in private treatment centres in the uk. Proton beam therapy has been on offer for eligible patients since 2009 in america and germany. The treatment known as proton beam therapy is currently only available in the uk to treat eye cancers but patients with other forms of cancer can apply for nhs funding for therapy abroad. This will help you decide whether to have proton beam therapy or another type of treatment.

Proton therapy can cause side effects as the cancer cells die or when the energy from the proton beam damages healthy tissue. Proton beam therapy is a relatively new type of radiotherapy that uses tiny high energy particles so called protons to target and kill cancer cells. A new service is also expected to begin in summer 2020 at. Because doctors can better control where proton therapy releases its highest concentration of energy proton therapy is believed to affect less healthy tissue and have fewer side effects than traditional radiation therapy.

A small number of people in south wales may have proton beam therapy on the nhs at the rutherford cancer centre. Proton beam therapy targets radiation directly at the tumour avoiding healthy surrounding tissue but. Since 2018 the service has been available from the christie nhs foundation trust manchester. Proton beam therapy is not widely available in the uk.

The new uk centres will be available for nhs patients from england scotland and wales. You can find out more on their website. The beam then paints the radiation dose onto the tumor. That technology remains available for many patients who are candidates for proton therapy.

Where is proton beam therapy available for uk residents. If proton beam therapy is suitable for you your cancer doctor and specialist nurse will talk to you about the possible benefits and disadvantages. This is where radiation with charged particles called protons are targeted at the tumour from outside the eye. This treatment is used if the tumour is too large or located too far back in the eye for plaque radiotherapy to work.

It reduces the damage to surrounding healthy tissues and vital organs which is why certain groups of people such as young children or people whose cancer is close to vital organs benefit.