Proton beam therapy is a technique that delivers high doses of radiation to a specific area, or small tumor (less than 5 cm). It is used for the treatment of various solid tumors, including liver cancer.
This is a new treatment, so there are not much data about the efficacy of the treatment but preliminary results suggest that is similar as seen with chemoembolization (TACE) or ablation (radiofrequency or alcohol). It is not known if this type of radiation treatment prolongs the life of the patient.
For the procedure, the patient is usually asked to lie down on a body cast so during each session he/she can be placed in the identical position. Therapy is conducted daily for 15 days.
