The five-year results of over 1,300 men treated at UF Health Proton Therapy Institute for prostate cancer were recently published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.1 As reported by UF researchers, the results revealed that the majority of these men are living cancer-free with minimal to no side effects. The five-year survival rates for low, intermediate, and high-risk prostate cancer are 99%, 94%, and 74% respectively – with less than 1% having experienced any bowel issues and less than 3% having experienced any urinary issues.
Because of the comparatively low occurrence of side effects such as incontinence, impotence, and fatigue, prostate cancer patients receiving proton therapy are able to continue working, playing, and living relatively normal lives both during and after treatment. That’s why more and more patients with prostate cancer are choosing proton therapy.
How Proton Therapy Effectively Treats Prostate Cancer
Proton therapy treats prostate cancer with high doses of radiation that are more accurate, and potentially more effective, than traditional radiation. Our targeted proton beams focus most of their destructive energy at the tumor site, therefore causing less damage to healthy surrounding tissue as they enter the body. Because of this, proton therapy patients don’t have to worry about many of the side effects and additional healthy tissue damage that is commonly associated with X-ray therapy.
an effective cancer treatment alternative
In a recent study, men ages 60 and younger treated with proton therapy for prostate cancer at University of Florida Health Proton Therapy Institute reported high satisfaction for quality of life indicators such as sexual and urinary function.2
UF Health Proton Therapy Cancer Experts
As a major non-profit academic medical center, the University of Florida Health Proton Therapy Institute has treated more than 11,000 patients and led the way for innovative cancer care in the Southeast U.S. since 2006. As an academic health center, our published research is setting the standards for proton therapy cancer care worldwide, with dozens of clinical trials and more than 350 published research articles in peer-reviewed journals.
When you become a patient at the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute, you are assured of receiving the highest quality cancer care as measured by state and national standards. We are committed to delivering the best possible patient outcomes. Our 125+ employees are dedicated to delivering proton cancer treatment in a way that takes the entire patient into account, so you can keep living life to the fullest.
1 Bryant C, Smith TL, Henderson RH, Hoppe BS, Mendenhall WM, Nichols RC, Morris CG, Williams CR, Su Z, Li Z, Lee D, Mendenhall NP. Five-Year Biochemical Results, Toxicity, and Patient-Reported Quality of Life Following Delivery of Dose- Escalated Image-Guided Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer. International Journal of Radiation, Oncology, Biology, Physics. 2016;95(1):435-43. https://www.redjournal.org/article/S0360-3016(16)00158-9/pdf
2 Hoppe BS, Nichols RC, Henderson RH, Morris CG, Williams CR, Costa J, Marcus RB Jr, Mendenhall WM, Li Z, Mendenhall NP. Erectile function, incontinence, and other quality of life outcomes following proton therapy for prostate cancer in men 60 years old and younger. Cancer. 2012 Sep 15;118(18):4619-26. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3465790/pdf/cncr0118-4619.pdf
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