Europe UK (Commonwealth Union) – Proton beam therapy facilitates increased energy protons to accurately target at a tumor, lowering the injury to surrounding healthy tissues and important organs.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge are jointly leading the first British trial in evaluating the advantages of proton beam therapy for certain patients that have breast cancer.
The contrasting of proton beam therapy will be conducted in the trial, which could aim the radiotherapy beams with greater accuracy than with standard radiotherapy for patients with an increased risk of long-term heart problems following radiotherapy treatment. The trial will assist in evaluating if proton beam therapy can assist in delivering sufficient doses of radiotherapy to breast tissue, while minimizing off-target radiation going to the heart.
The trial is set to involve the participation of 192 people from a planned 22 sites in the UK. Individuals allocated to obtain proton beam therapy will receive treatment either at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester or University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, with accommodation given for those who reside further away from the treatment center.
Annually the UK has more than 30,000 persons with breast cancer obtaining radiotherapy after surgery as a component of their treatment. Standard breast cancer radiotherapy applies high energy x-rays to destroy cancer cells, and also reduces the risk of cancer returning.
In spite the effectiveness of radiotherapy side effects may occur, such as risk to the heart particularly if breast cancer is on the left side where the radiotherapy is more likely to be closer to the heart.
Dr Anna Kirby, who is a Consultant Clinical Oncologist from the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Breast Cancer Radiotherapy Team Lead at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and Radiotherapy Lead for the PARABLE trial, says “We have already learnt a huge amount about how to optimise and standardise current breast cancer radiotherapy practices alongside optimising proton beam therapy approaches. We hope that the PARABLE trial will help us to further personalise radiotherapy treatments and ensure that people can access the radiotherapy approach that is best for them, regardless of where they live.”
