Benefits of proton therapy for childhood cancer
Proton Therapy for Childhood Cancers
Proton therapy is an excellent treatment option for children, adolescents and young adults with cancerous and non-cancerous tumors that can be treated with traditional radiation. Proton therapy may limit the radiation exposure to healthy, growing tissue in pediatric cancer patients. Because protons can be precisely controlled, pediatric proton therapy is ideal for tumors located near growing tissues in the spinal cord and brain, eyes, ears or mouth.
Children with tumors in the brain, head, neck, spinal cord, heart, lungs and other areas that are sensitive to radiation can benefit from treatment with proton therapy because physicians can target treatment directly to the tumor area. This limits the possible damage to children whose bodies are still developing.
Types of childhood cancer that may be treated with proton therapy include:
- Astrocytoma
- Brain tumors
- Choriocarcinoma
- Craniopharyngioma
- Ependymoma
- Ewing’s sarcoma
- Glioblastoma
- Glioma
- Intracranial germ cell tumors (germinoma)
- Optic pathway/hypothalamic glioma
- Medulloblastoma
- Meningioma
- Neuroblastoma
- Optic Nerve Tumors
- Retinoblastoma
- Primitive neuro-ectodermal tumor (PNET)
- Rhabdomyosarcoma
- Osteosarcoma
- Teratoma
Leaders in research and treatment of childhood cancer
At the MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center, we are world leaders in the research and treatment of childhood cancer with proton therapy, an advanced form of radiation precisely targets tumors while sparing surrounding healthy tissue.
Our pediatric team includes physicians, nurses, radiation therapists and other cancer experts that specializes in treating children with cancer. From its inception, the MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center was designed with children and their families in mind – from our child-friendly waiting and play areas to our special, early appointment times for many of our young patients.
Facing a pediatric brain tumor with a cheerful spirit
Audrey Yerian, known to her friends and family as “Audge,” is a 10-year-old competitive cheerleader from Tomball, Texas. Her passion for cheer matches her incredible courage. So, when she was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive childhood brain tumor, she faced it with the same perseverance, courage and passion.
For years, Audrey had experienced brain tumor symptoms, including debilitating migraines and what were believed to be moments of daydreaming, later revealed to be focal seizures. Despite persistent advocacy from her parents, early imaging was delayed by her local doctors. A CT scan in October 2024 was read as a sinus infection by a neuro-radiologist, who missed signs of skull deformation.
But when Audrey began having six or more seizures a day, her parents pushed for an MRI. That scan led to a life-changing diagnosis of a Grade 3 anaplastic pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (APXA), a rare type of brain cancer.
Perseverance during brain tumor treatment
On Nov. 11, 2024, Audrey underwent a craniotomy at Texas Children’s Hospital. A craniotomy is the most common surgery to treat brain tumors and surgically remove the tumor. With a quick timeline to meet clinical trial requirements, she was immediately referred to MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center, where she began targeted proton therapy treatments under the care of pediatric radiation oncologist , followed by a two-year oral chemotherapy regimen at Texas Children’s Hospital under a clinical trial by the Children’s Oncology Group (COG).
Because protons can be precisely controlled, pediatric proton therapy is ideal for tumors located near growing tissues in the spinal cord, brain, eyes, ears or mouth.
Manzar recalls in their first day meeting that Audrey realized they had something in common – being an avid Taylor Swift fan. “She noticed my Swiftie status on my badge pin and requested that I play ‘Shake It Off’ on my guitar for her last weekly visit,” says Manzar. “It is the first time I ever played guitar for one of my patients as opposed to ukulele, and it was such a magical experience for all of us. The whole family sang along, and we got into the lyrics, which was so encouraging for Audrey.”
With the support of child life specialist Ellen Reynolds, Audrey completed six weeks of treatment without the need for sedation. This included an MRI that lasted nearly three hours, during which she had to remain completely still with her head secured in place.
Benefits of proton therapy for children
Most tumors in children are treated with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. While traditional radiation therapy with X-ray beams can be effective, it also can produce documented long-term side effects in some children, such as a decrease in bone and soft tissue growth in the treated area, hormonal deficiencies, intellectual impairment, including neuro-cognitive deficits, and secondary cancers later in life.
The ability to precisely target tumors makes proton therapy ideal for treating pediatric cancer. It provides accurate treatment of tumors near or within sensitive organs while limiting radiation exposure to healthy tissues, which is vital in children whose bodies are still growing and developing. This may reduce side effects during treatment, often allowing children to better tolerate proton therapy. Additionally, studies show that proton therapy can also result in fewer late effects from treatment, a major concern among physicians and families when a child – especially a very young child – is undergoing radiation treatment. This includes potentially fewer issues with brain development for children who have been treated for brain tumors.
Though treatment can vary for each patient’s specific case, most children are treated daily, Monday through Friday, for five to six weeks. Treatment can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 ? hours daily, depending on whether the child is sedated.
Pencil beam proton therapy
MD Anderson pioneered pencil beam scanning proton therapy, also called spot scanning, and has extended its benefits to children with cancer.
Pencil beam proton therapy is an even more precise form of proton therapy treatment; it can be directed to move throughout the tumor’s depth to "paint" the treatment volume with spots of radiation, conforming to the shape of the tumor and delivering thousands of spots of radiation in just a few minutes. This can provide even greater benefits to young patients with brain or other types of tumors, especially those that are oddly shaped or within or near critical structures or vital organs in the body.
MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center is the only center in North America and one of three in the world to use pencil beam scanning proton therapy to treat both pediatric and adult patients.
Dedicated pediatric team
At MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center, we have a dedicated pediatric team that includes radiation oncologists, nurses, therapists, social workers, a child life specialist and other cancer specialists – all experts in treating children with cancer.
We also have a dedicated pediatric anesthesia team to provide anesthesia to very young children who may require daily sedation to help them remain still for their proton therapy treatment. MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center is one of the few proton therapy centers with a dedicated, on-site pediatric anesthesia team dedicated to caring for children. The specialized, experienced anesthesia support is essential for the safety and effectiveness of proton radiation delivery.
Watch , M.D., explaining what parents can expect with daily anesthetic treatments in an effort to ease any apprehensions and fears parents have about their children being put to sleep for proton therapy treatment.
Protocols for proton therapy
At MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center, we collaborate with all of the cooperative groups for pediatric cancer, including the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium. Our physicians worked with COG to refine proton radiation guidelines for the organization’s protocols.Proton therapy radiation is now an acceptable form of radiation treatment for nearly all COG clinical trials that call for radiation therapy.
The was established in 2012 to expedite proton outcomes research to assure access to those pediatric patients who can benefit the most from it. It is the most comprehensive multi-institutional radiation based patient registry in existence and unique in its scope and depth.
Registry for Pediatric Patients Treated With Proton Radiation Therapy
- In previous studies, Proton Beam Radiation Therapy (PBRT) has been found to show better results in treating patients with cancer, both because there is better control of where in the body the radiation is directed and because it is associated with less severe long term side effects. However, there is limited published data demonstrating these results. The goal of the Pediatric Proton Consortium Registry (PPCR) is to enroll children treated with proton radiation in the United States in order to describe the population that currently receives protons and better evaluate its benefits over other therapies. The data collected from this study will help facilitate research on proton beam radiation therapy and allow for collaborative research. The PPCR will collect demographic and clinical data that many centers that deliver proton radiation therapy already collect in routine operations.
For more information, please contact:
Nancy Philip, MD Anderson Clinical Studies Coordinator
Tel: 713-563-9322
Expertise and convenience in a family-friendly setting
Because we are a part of MD Anderson Cancer Center, which has ranked as one of the nation’s top two cancer centers in U.S. News & World Report’s annual “Best Hospitals” survey for the past 25 years, our pediatric patients and their families have access to all of the resources of an internationally respected academic medical center within reach, including the Children’s Cancer Hospital at MD Anderson.
As part of the world-renowned Texas Medical Center, we have the greatest capacity for treating young patients from other major hospitals, both in our community and from around the world.
We also offer convenient, free surface lot parking at the center to help ease the burden of daily parking charges on families during treatment.