Prostate or prostatic gland cancer is the second cause of death among men with oncology. But with the early detection of this oncopathology, the five-year survival rate is 99%.

Prostate cancer occurs when prostate gland cells expand and multiply uncontrollably, thereby damaging surrounding tissues and interfering with normal organ function. In the next stages, cancer cells can capture other parts of the body.

In the early stages of the disease surgery and radiotherapy give approximately the same results. But radiation therapy is the best method of treatment of locally advanced prostate cancer. With larger or more aggressive tumors, radiation therapy can be used in combination with hormonal therapy.

In the MIBS we propose the treatment of prostate cancer by the most advanced method of particles medicine-proton therapy, which has a number of undeniable advantages over conventional radiation therapy:

  • precise and accurate delivery of higher radiation doses to cancer cells in the prostate.
  • minimal impact on surrounding healthy tissues and vital organs such as the bladder and rectum.
  • less invasive (traumatic) process - treatment is painless and allows to continue ordinary life.
  • hospitalization is not required, therapy is performed on an outpatient basis.

Pencil beam scanning

Patients who have approached the MIBS proton therapy center can undergo treatment with a pencil beam scanning method, which is a more advanced type of proton therapy (pencil beam scanning, PBS).

In "pencil" scanning, a proton beam, whose diameter can be less than one millimeter, is guided by numerous magnets to the exact area of the lesion, releasing radiation layer after layer, just as an artist applies the paint with a brush. The advantage of the method is the ability of the beam to enter the tumor at different angles, bypassing the important organs located next to it.

Using rapidly emitted pulses, a sharply targeted beam hits each planned point with a given amount of radiation, starting from the farther layer and moving successively, layer by layer, until the entire tumor is covered. Usually during one procedure it is required to deliver doses in 1000 - 2000 points, located approximately in 20 - 30 layers. Such layer-by-layer scanning "covers" the entire tumor with proton radiation, allowing to target neoplasms having irregular shapes or inhomogeneous depth.

How does the treatment proceed?

When treating prostate cancer with proton therapy, procedures usually take only 15 to 20 minutes per day and are conducted five days a week for approximately two months. After the end of treatment, recovery time is practically not required. The risk of impotence after treatment is minimal, especially for patients who have had a good sexual function before the start of therapy. Most patients exceptionally well tolerate the treatment and are able to continue to work, exercise and remain sexually active during and immediately after treatment.

During "pencil" scanning, a proton beam, whose diameter can be less than one millimeter, is guided by numerous magnets to the exact area of the lesion, releasing radiation layer by layer, just as the artist paints the paint with a brush. The advantage of the method is the ability of the beam to enter the tumor at different angles, bypassing the important organs located next to it.