Proton beam therapy is an advanced form of external radiotherapy that uses high-energy proton beams instead of photon x-ray beams or electrons. Carefully measured doses of protons are delivered to the precise area needing treatment, using the latest IBA ProteusONE technology. This ensures that the delivery of proton beam therapy is highly accurate and prevents the risk of radiation reaching surrounding healthy tissue.
Radiotherapy is used to kill and destroy cancer cells. It utilises radiation in the form of high-energy x-rays, known as photons, to kill and damage the cancerous cells and prevent their growth and reproduction. It can be used as a non-surgical option to treat cancer, and it can also be used to shrink a tumour or in combination with other treatments.
The Rutherford Cancer Centres and Elekta are bringing the next generation of personalised adaptive radiotherapy technology to oncology centres across the UK, with the new MR-linac Elekta Unity now available at the Rutherford Cancer Centre North West in Liverpool.
Blog post by Rutherford Cancer Centres
The main difference between chemotherapy and immunotherapy is that chemotherapy uses anti-cancer drugs to treat tumours. In contrast, immunotherapy enables your own immune system to recognise, target and destroy cancer cells.
Chemotherapy is a widely used therapy, treating over 200 different types of cancer. It’s when you take medication, either intravenously or orally, to destroy tumours. It’s carried via your bloodstream and disrupts the inner workings of cancer cells, stopping them from growing and dividing. You might be given a single chemotherapy drug or a combination.
Immunotherapy works by empowering the immune system to attack cancer cells. This can be done by making cancer cells recognisable to the immune system, or by blocking the pathways that cancer cells use to hide from our natural antibodies. Some immunotherapies are known as targeted treatments.
You might be wondering why cancer cells aren’t already targeted by our natural defences. That’s because they can ‘hide’ from the immune system, either by escaping defensive cells or by producing signals that cause the immune system to ignore them. In some cases, aggressive cancer cells can also overwhelm the immune system. This means, even if they can be identified, they are still able to spread.
So, what about the differences in side-effects? Chemotherapy attacks all dividing cells, whether they are healthy or cancerous. This causes side-effects, including hair loss and nausea in some cases. Immunotherapy also has side-effects, but they’re different from other cancer treatments because they result from the immune system being over-activated or misdirected. The good news is that, in most cases, any side-effects get better after the first treatment. If necessary, they can be safely managed with drugs that suppress the immune system. But you need to let your medical team know straight away if you experience any side-effects because in some cases, they can be more severe or even life-threatening.
How long you need treatment with either therapy is down to many factors, including the type of cancer and your general health. Chemotherapy can cause tumours to shrink quickly, while immunotherapy can take longer - but the results can be longer-lasting too.
Immunotherapy may work when other treatments don’t. It can be particularly effective for some cancers, such as skin cancer. And it can also help other therapies, including chemotherapy, to work better.
Chemotherapy works actively only while the drugs are in your system, while the effects of immunotherapy can last for a long time after your treatment has finished. In some cases, it can protect you against cancer for longer because the immune system can carry on ‘recognising’ cancer cells.
For some types of cancers, even at an advanced stage, immunotherapy is already the standard treatment. More types of immunotherapy are being developed all the time. Your medical team will work with you to decide the right treatment, whether that includes immunotherapy, chemotherapy or a combination of cancer treatments.
If you have any questions about either of these treatments, please contact the team at Rutherford Cancer Centres.
If you'd like to speak to us about any of the treatments we offer please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Call us on 0800 210 0402 or
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