Hi. I feel like I have been thrown into radiation very quickly after surgery to remove squamas cell from gum and cheek. Stage 2. Margins were close. I am looking into proton radiation at Univ. Of Cincy.
Has anyone had experiences and are side affects much less than traditional? Thank you

Noble,

I’ve had Proton Radiation about five years, which is the most precise and strongest type of radiation we have in the U.S., and believe it helped cure my cancer after four years and 7 recurrences and primary cancer.

It’s good you know of a center that drs it as the are about 29 places. There is a newer type Proton Radiation that is administered like IMRT called IMPT, as earlier type is timely as rad setting or zap. actually protons makes no noise unlike the zaps with IMRT, which I did twice. I did iORT twice during surgery and finally Proton Radiation.

Previously, it was restricted to certain head and neck cancers and recurrences. Now I understand it’s available to first line patients. You would need to be evaluated by the Proton center to see what’s best.

Good luck

I had Proton therapy 35 treatments plus weekly Cisplatin back in April-May 2018. It was a rough go and I'm not sure my side effects were any less than regular IMRT. What was the main concern for me was the hope of less future damage from Proton and time will tell if that is a benefit or not.

18 months later, I feel like my old self with dry mouth only at night. Hoping thats the worst of the damage done.

Best of luck to you!

Linda