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JORDAN PYSZ / iFoundMyDoctor.com
Dr. Pezzi finished a four-year residency at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, known for one of the country’s largest proton therapy programs.
Radiation therapy is a common treatment for many types of cancer. At high doses, the radiation kills cancer cells or slows their growth by damaging their DNA, the molecule that contains the genetic information for a cell’s growth and development. But radiation therapy can also damage healthy cells in the area treated.
“Proton therapy is a type of radiation therapy that reduces exposure to healthy tissue surrounding the cancer,” reports Todd Pezzi, MD, a radiation oncologist at Advocate Radiation Oncology. “This typically equates to fewer side effects and better outcomes for cancer patients.”
Dr. Pezzi explains that traditional radiation therapy uses high-intensity x-rays to kill cancer cells. Proton therapy utilizes high-speed subatomic particles derived from hydrogen atoms to irradiate the cancer.
When precisely directed in a strong beam at a tumor, the particles disrupt and damage that tumor’s cells so they can no longer divide and spread.
“Radiation oncologists use their discretion when choosing between traditional radiation therapy and proton therapy,” Dr. Pezzi says. “But certain cancers receive a greater benefit from employing proton therapy, including some tumors of the: brain & spine, lung, esophagus, head and neck, liver, prostate, as well tumors of pediatric population.”
Additionally, there is promising ongoing study on a national level regarding the benefits of proton therapy for breast cancer and other various tumor types. Research is also underway to determine the best indications for proton therapy so that it is applied most effectively.”
Proton therapy uses subatomic particles, so it behaves differently than traditional radiation therapy. Scientists attribute this to the release of maximum energy at a specific depth within tissues.
“When a proton beam enters the body, it stops at a predetermined spot within the tumor rather than passing through the tissue the way x-ray-based radiation does,” Dr. Pezzi explains. “As a result, there’s less impact on healthy tissue adjacent to the tumor.”
-Dr. Pezzi
Large machines use powerful magnets within a circular chamber to accelerate and direct protons toward the cancer.
“Proton therapy machines are almost 10 times the cost of traditional radiation therapy machines, so there are few places that have them,” Dr. Pezzi observes.
“There are only about 40 proton therapy centers in the US, most of them at large academic medical centers and major cancer institutes.”
Advocate Radiation Oncology has chosen to make the financial commitment to open the first proton therapy center on Florida’s west coast.
Construction of Southwest Florida Proton, which will be at Estero Parkway and Three Oaks Parkway, is slated to be completed in the summer of 2024.
Dr. Pezzi will have a joint appointment with Advocate Radiation Oncology and Southwest Florida Proton. Currently, the administration is recruiting additional physicians.
“Proton therapy is a specialty therapy that requires specialty training, so we are being very selective in our recruiting,” Dr. Pezzi asserts. “We are only interested in physicians that have experience and have trained at the best cancer centers in the country.
“I received my training at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, which has one of the largest radiation oncology programs in the world and one of the largest proton therapy programs in the US.”
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