The success rate of radiotherapy for CNS tumours depends on the biological nature of the disease, the previous surgical procedure and the applied dose of radiation. Central nervous system radiation ranks among the most demanding treatment types both for patients and physicians. There are too many radiation-sensitive structures in this area that can be damaged. At the same time, high doses need to be used to destroy the tumour. Standard (photon) radiotherapy is not always able to address this situation due to the disproportionate risk of damaging high-risk, often vital structures located near the tumour. For some tumours, such as skull base tumours, surgical treatment is almost never complete.
Proton therapy delivers the necessary dose of radiation to the tumour area, thus contributing to its better control and increasing the patient’s chances of recovery. The advantages of proton therapy in the irradiation of tumours of the central nervous system are as follows:
It is apparent that the proton beam irradiates only the target volume (the area where the tumour is or was located), i.e. the radiation is targeted almost exclusively to the affected tissue. On the contrary, photon radiation, owing to its physical properties, significantly affects also the surrounding area of the healthy structure.
