Proton therapy is a type of radiation therapy that uses protons rather than x-rays. It painlessly delivers radiation to treat some types of cancer. Proton therapy is a promising new type of cancer treatment, but its possible benefit over traditional radiation therapy is still being studied. Research is ongoing in clinical trials to see how it compares.

In general, proton therapy has fewer side effects than other types of radiation therapy. This is because it can be targeted more directly at the tumor and does less damage to other tissue.

Almost everyone gets a headache from time to time. This happens when the muscles, nerves, and blood vessels in your head and neck become inflamed and cause pain.

When you have cancer, it is important to pay attention to your headaches. They can be a symptom of cancer itself or a side effect of your cancer treatments. Headaches can be painful and disruptive so it is important to talk to your health care team when they happen.

Oncology is the study of cancer. An oncologist is a doctor who treats cancer and provides medical care for a person diagnosed with cancer. An oncologist may also be called a cancer specialist.

The field of oncology has 3 major areas based on treatments: medical oncology, radiation oncology, and surgical oncology.

Medical oncologists treat cancer using medication, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy.

Staging is a way to describe a cancer. The cancer's stage tells you where a cancer is located and its size, how far it has grown into nearby tissues, and if it has spread to nearby lymph nodes or other parts of the body. Before starting any cancer treatment, doctors may use physical exams, imaging scans, and other tests to determine a cancer's stage. Staging may not be completed until all the tests are finished.