Procedures that restore stem cells that were destroyed by chemotherapy or radiation by transplanting immature cells that can mature into blood cells into the blood stream.

Brachytherapy is a form of radiation therapy that involves implant of radioactive “seeds” directly inside or near the tumor. Brachytherapy can be permanent, where the seeds remain inside of the body, or temporary, where the seeds are removed after treatment. Temporary brachytherapy can be administered at a low-dose rate (LDR) or high-dose rate (HDR). Brachytherapy is commonly used to treat localized prostate cancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer and cancers of the head and neck.

Describes the characteristic pattern of energy deposition when a charged particle moves through matter. In proton therapy, the dose deposited by a proton beam increases gradually with increasing depth until close to the maximum proton range and then rises to a peak – the Bragg Peak. A proton beam can be so that the Bragg Peak occurs precisely within a volume of about 3-5 mm radius, something that can almost never be done with X-rays. The net dose to healthy tissue surrounding the tumor volume can be much less than that to the tumor itself, thus sparing the normal tissue in this area. The dose immediately beyond the Bragg Peak is essentially zero which allows for the sparing of all normal tissues distal to the tumor volume.

A form of treatment that involves the use of chemicals to stop disease-producing organisms or cancerous tissue from growing. Depending on the type of drug prescribed, chemotherapy can be administered through a vein, through direct injection into a body cavity, or orally in the form of a pill.

A circular particle accelerator that generates and accelerates protons to be used for treatment.

A medical professional who specializes in the operation of radiation equipment and the calculations of radiation dosage. A dosimetrist works closely with radiation oncologists and medical physicists to develop computerized treatment plan, calculate treatment doses and monitor unit setting to ensure that the correct radiation dosage is delivered as prescribed. A dosimetrist will also conduct regular quality assurance reviews and recalibration on the radiation equipment.

A method of delivering beams of radiation generated outside the patient to the tumor site. The radiation destroys the DNA of tumor cells, making them unable to reproduce and grow.

A form of stereotactic radiosurgery that uses highly focused beams of radiation and advanced imaging technology to target localized tumors and vascular abnormalities in the brain. The beams are delivered from multiple directions.

The process by which patients at risks of passing on inherited disorders seek advice from a medical geneticist regarding the prevention or management of such risk.

Image Guided Radiation Therapy. Coupled with advanced imaging system, IGRT allows the tumor to be imaged prior to and during the delivery of radiation to precisely monitor the location of the tumor. This form of radiation therapy reduces the margin of healthy tissue exposed to radiation. Radiation beams can be adjusted to target the tumor even if it has shifted in location in between treatment sessions.

Uses the body’s natural defense system, the immune system, to attack tumor cells or to lessen the side effects that may be caused by some cancer treatments. This can be achieved by immunization or administration of therapeutic antibodies.

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy. A form of external radiotherapy that utilizes computer-controlled X-rays to deliver radiation doses to the tumor site. IMRT allows radiation dose to conform more precisely to the shape of the tumor by modulating the intensity of the radiation beam. Multiple beams are used to reduce damage to any single beam path. IMRT is commonly used to treat prostate, head and neck, and central nervous system tumors.

An electronic medical record system for radiation oncology that will be implemented at the ProCure Proton Therapy Centers. ProCure’s centers are paperless facilities; all medical records are stored and managed electronically through MOSAIQ.

Magnetic resonance imaging, formerly referred to as magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), is a method used to visualize the inside of living organisms. It is primarily used to demonstrate pathological or other physiological alterations of living tissues and is a commonly used form of medical imaging.

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a nuclear medicine medical imaging technique which produces a three-dimensional image or map of functional processes in the body.

X-ray. A discrete bundle (quantum) of electromagnetic energy, generally regarded as having zero mass, no electric charge, and an indefinitely long lifetime.

A positively charged particle found in the nucleus of an atom. Protons used in proton therapy are derived from stripping a hydrogen atom of its electron. They can be accelerated and controlled to release their energy within a well-defined range in tissue.