Due to decreased side effects, it may also be cost-saving
Atlanta, September 22, 2013
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Proton therapy, an external beam radiotherapy in which protons deliver precise radiation doses to a tumor and spare healthy organs and tissues, is cost - effective in treating medulloblastomas, fast-growing brain tumors that mainly affect children, when compared to standard photon radiation therapy, according to research presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology’s (ASTRO’s) 55th Annual Meeting.
The results presented by physicians from Mount Auburn Hospita, the teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, indicate:
"Results from the base case analysis showed that due to the prevention of side effects, proton therapy was cost-saving. In sensitivity analyses, proton therapy strongly remained the more appealing treatment, in part due to decreased risks of hearing loss, secondary malignancy and heart failure, resulting in a cost-savings in more than 95% of simulations.” (ASTRO).
For the full release abou the ASTRO Presentation on Proton Therapy Cost Savings, please visit the site.
