ProCure Treatment Centers and Princeton Radiation Oncology, in collaboration with CentraState, have brought the first and only proton therapy center to the New Jersey/New York region. Proton therapy allows eligible cancer patients to benefit from the most precise and advanced form of radiation therapy available today.

Proton therapy is a highly targeted form of radiation using charged proton particles to attack tumors, usually those found in head and neck, brain, prostate, lung, gastrointestinal and pediatric cancers. These are all cancers that require the most precise form of radiation in order not to damage surrounding tissues, which may later lead to secondary cancers. This is especially important for children with cancer when it is vital to avoid excess radiation to healthy cells that are still maturing and growing.

 

In a study by Harvard Medical School, half as many people receiving proton therapy went on to have secondary cancers as those on other traditional X-ray therapies. That’s because the stream of radioactive particles in proton therapy end at the tumor, rather than passing through it to other healthy tissue in the body. So other important organs in the body will not be affected by the radiation. That also means fewer side effects and complications for this painless, non-invasive treatment, which is why proton therapy is often used along with chemotherapy.

The highly talented radiation oncologists from Princeton Radiation Oncology — who also staff CentraState’s Radiation Oncology Department — have deep experience with proton therapy from their training at Harvard Medical School’s Massachusetts General Hospital and other leading cancer centers. Together with other medical personnel, nurses, and radiation therapists, your doctors will work together to deliver the most compassionate and personalized cancer care.