The Beam: Latest News and Research
Read the latest news and views from Fred Hutch's proton therapy facility’s patients and providers in The Beam, published monthly.
New Lung Cancer Research
Fred Hutch Cancer Center – Proton Therapy lung cancer specialist John Kang, MD, PhD, recently attended the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) conference in Seattle.
“My students presented research that examined outcomes of protons versus photons in lung cancer patients treated at our center between 2018 and 2024,”
he said. The research found that both modalities had similar toxicities, but protons allowed us to treat tumors that were 25-30% larger in volume with similar outcomes.
- Pneumonitis
- Esophagitis
- Future cardiac events
are expected with bulkier tumors, which are also generally considered more advanced and deadlier.
Author's summary: New research on proton therapy for lung cancer.