Let's Talk About Radiation Therapy

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Proton Therapy

Printed From: TNBC Foundation
Category: TNBC Forums
Forum Name: Let's Talk About Radiation Therapy
Forum Description: A place to discuss Radiation Therapy
URL: http://forum.tnbcfoundation.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=13697
Printed Date: Mar 26 2026 at 6:17pm
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Topic: Proton Therapy

Posted By: mary2025
Subject: Proton Therapy
Date Posted: May 23 2020 at 12:58pm

Has anyone opted for proton therapy in this forum? If so, what was the outcome or their thoughts?

Replies:

Posted By: 123Donna
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 11:35am

Hi Mary,

There was some discussion last year about it. It may not be available at all facilities and the bigger issue will be if insurance will pay for it since it's more expensive than traditional radiation.

https://forum.tnbcfoundation.org/proton-therapy-has-less-side-effects_topic13534_post134072.html" rel="nofollow - https://forum.tnbcfoundation.org/proton-therapy-has-less-side-effects_topic13534_post134072.html

More on Proton Therapy from MD Anderson:

https://www.mdanderson.org/patients-family/diagnosis-treatment/care-centers-clinics/proton-therapy-center/conditions-we-treat/breast-cancer.html" rel="nofollow - https://www.mdanderson.org/patients-family/diagnosis-treatment/care-centers-clinics/proton-therapy-center/conditions-we-treat/breast-cancer.html

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DX IDC TNBC 6/09 age 49, Stage 1,Grade 3, 1.5cm,0/5Nodes,KI-67 48%,BRCA-,6/09bi-mx, recon, T/C X4(9/09)
11/10 Recur IM node, Gem,Carb,Iniparib 12/10,MRI NED 2/11,IMRT Radsx40,CT NED11/13,MRI NED3/15

Posted By: mary2025
Date Posted: May 28 2020 at 6:10pm

Hi Donna, thank you so much for the information! I am to discuss the options with my current radiation oncologist next week, and also getting a second opinion from Sloan which offers Proton therapy. Will decide once find out more.

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dx 10-29-19 | TNBC stage IA grade 3 | 0.4cm 0/1 nodes | BRCA- | lumpectomy clear margins 11-14-19 | ACx4 started 12-18-2019, finished 1-31-2020 I Taxol x12 started 2-14-2020 finished 5-1-2020

Posted By: mary2025
Date Posted: Jun 08 2020 at 2:11pm

For whom might be interested in this topic, here is my update. I met up with my radiation oncologist going through the options. She does not see a benefit of protons over traditional radiation for my particular case. For a second opinion, after reviewing my records, the radiation oncologist at Sloan advised that I am not an eligible candidate for protons either and he does not recommend protons for me.

There is also a very helpful article:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6339938/#!po=11.4583" rel="nofollow - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6339938/#!po=11.4583

"Conclusions: Receipt of PRT was associated with left-sided, ER+ tumors, mastectomy, South and West location, and academic facilities, but not higher group stages or LNI. PRT was not associated with OS, including in subsets likely at risk for higher heart doses. Further studies are required to determine non-OS benefits of PRT. In the interim, given the high cost of protons, only well-selected patients should receive PRT unless enrolled on a clinical trial."