Proton Therapy: A New Frontier in Cancer Treatment

Dahyun Kim

May 16, 2025

This article is dedicated to my grandfather.

As cancer treatment continues to evolve in the medical field, proton therapy has emerged as one of the most promising advancements. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, proton therapy is a type of radiation therapy using high-powered energy to treat cancer and even noncancerous tumors. Developed from traditional radiation therapy using X-rays, it collects energy from protons (positively charged particles) and focuses more energy on the tumor, which minimizes the radiation to surrounding healthy tissue. Mayo Clinic stated that few studies presented so far have suggested that proton therapy has a lower chance of causing side effects than the traditional radiation methods, as doctors are able to have better control over where the proton beams deliver the energy. 

As presented by Johns Hopkins Medicine, proton beam therapy works by disrupting the tumor’s DNA and destroying the tumor cells. The protons are separated from the hydrogen atoms and are sped up in particle accelerators such as synchrotrons or cyclotrons. Then, a special device uses a large magnet to focus the stream of protons into a thin beam—about 5 millimeters wide— and directs it at the tumor from multiple angles as the gantry rotates around the patient. The energy stored inside the proton beam can be adjusted based on the size and depth of the tumor, allowing a wide range of radiation to be delivered to different areas. 

Precision being its greatest benefit, research shows that while proton therapy delivers a higher dose of radiation to the tumor, it delivers significantly less radiation to healthy cells near the tumor, reducing the possibility and magnitude of side effects that can be caused due to the treatment. Johns Hopkins medicine reports that the precision targeting protects important neurological functions such as speech and memory when tumor is close to areas in charge of these functions, minimizes radiation to vital organs when treating nearby organs such as breast or spine, reduces risks for children with cancer who suffer with lingering side effects from toxic cancer treatments and helps avoid more radiaton to areas that previously had radiation in case a tumor recurs. 

As a result, proton therapy is gaining attention for its potential to treat variety of cancers with fewer side effects and improved outcomes. With ongoing research and increasing availability, proton therapy can represent significant advancement of oncology, offering new hope to patients navigating complex cancer diagnoses.