Our Head and Neck Cancer Specialists

Our medical physics and dosimetry teams worked with our radiation oncologists to develop a 1-to 4-field treatment technique using pencil beam scanning. This new technique enables us to treat complicated head and neck cancers with multiple dose levels and bi-lateral neck involvement.

• Base of Skull tumors (including, but not limited to, anterior, middle, and posterior cranial fossa, sphenoid and temporal bone-related tumors)

• Sino – Nasal cancers (paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity)

• Cancers located near the orbits/eyes• Nasopharynx cancers• Small/early oropharyngeal cancers

(tonsils, tongue base)• Select salivary gland tumors (parotid,

sub-mandibular and minor salivary glands of the upper aero-digestive tract)

• Complex skin cancers involving cranial nerves and/or lymph nodes of the neck

• Select patients who have received previous radiation

• Unknown primary cancers (after a thorough surgical work up)

George E. Laramore, PhD, MD, FACR, FASTRO“High tech medicine can be adapted to the individual patient’s needs. I enjoy using the latest technological innovations in radiation oncology to design and carry out the optimal treatment for each patient.”

Jay J. Liao, MD“I enjoy establishing strong relationships with my patients, providing individualized and compassionate care, and educating patients about their disease process and treatment.”

Upendra Parvathaneni, MD, FRANZCR“My philosophy is to treat my patients as I would like to be treated.”

All our radiation oncologists are faculty at the University of Washington School of Medicine and all are board certified. All of our physicians are experts in proton therapy and all other forms of radiation, and they will provide you with an expert recommendation for your consideration.

Please contact us at info@seattleprotons.org or call 888-645-6934.

1- to 4-Field Head and Neck Treatment Technique

Tumors appropriate for proton therapy include:

Transforming Cancer Care with Proton Therapy

A Guide to Proton Therapy for Patients with Head and Neck Cancers

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More than 65,000 Americans are diagnosed annually with head and neck cancers. For most patients with head and neck cancers, radiation therapy is part of the treatment protocol.

Proton therapy is a type of external radiation therapy that can be controlled with more precision than conventional therapy delivered with X-rays , including Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT). This means that more energy goes into destroying the tumor, with the goal of minimizing radiation to surrounding healthy tissue. For this reason, proton therapy is particularly good for treating tumors near healthy organs, including the head and neck region.

When treating head and neck tumors, it’s critical to protect organs surrounding the tumor. Proton therapy can potentially reduce damage to eyes, optic nerves, salivary glands, taste buds, the brain and other organs, thereby reducing the likelihood of side effects such as blindness, hearing deterioration and dry mouth. Secondary malignancies in the future are also less likely.

How do I know if proton therapy will work for me? Many patients with head and neck cancers are good candidates for proton therapy. To better understand the use of proton therapy in your treatment, call today to schedule a consultation with a radiation oncologist. During the consultation, the oncologist will discuss different treatment options with you to determine if you will benefit from proton therapy.

How many proton treatments will I receive?If proton therapy is selected as the best treatment option, treatments are generally given five days a week for 6-7 weeks, depending on the stage of your cancer and other factors.

Is proton therapy covered by my insurance?Proton therapy is covered by many insurance providers, including Medicare. SCCA Proton Therapy Center’s Patient Navigators can guide you through the process. Please contact us at 206-306-2800 if you have any questions about coverage.

What can I expect with proton therapy at SCCA Proton Therapy Center?• Proton therapy is given in a state-of-the-art

center with specialized medical equipment.• Treatment and care are provided by a team

of specialized doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals.

• Side effects, if they occur, can be treated with medication prescribed by your radiation oncologist.

• The time spent delivering proton therapy to the tumor is only a few minutes, but the entire treatment session may take up to 30 minutes.

“ I felt good enough to walk back and forth from treat-ment every day - more than five miles a day, and I felt great! SCCA Proton Therapy Center is like a five-star hotel, with very nice people and surroundings.”

- Lin, Head and Neck Cancer Survivor

Radiation for Head and Neck Cancers Proton Therapy is the Solution for Many Patients with Head and Neck Cancers

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To learn more about proton therapy or to schedule a

consultation, please call us at 888-645-6934 or visit www.

SCCAprotontherapy.com.