Brain Tumor — Proton Therapy: treatment in the Best Hospitals of Czech Republic

Every year in the Czech Republic, doctors diagnose brain cancer in hundreds of patients. Statistics say that in ninety percent of cases the disease can be treated, but the consequences of aggressive therapy can cause side effects or complications.

Due to the relatively low cost of treatment in clinics in the Czech Republic, this country is very popular for brain tumor treatment among international patients.

Brain tumor overview

Brain tumors can be benign and malignant.

Malignant brain tumors differ in their origin. Brain tumors may originate in the brain area or metastasize from other tissues and organs of the body. These tumors are a frequent complication in patients with different malignant tumors and are one of the main causes of death in such patients.

Although all types of cancers may cause brain metastases, certain tumors are more likely to metastasize to the brain than others. The tumors that are more likely to metastasize to the brain are tumors of the lungs, breast, kidney, colon, and skin.

Although the frequency of brain metastases in men and women is almost the same, the incidence of some tumors in men and women is somewhat different. For example, lung cancer is one of the most common causes of brain metastases in men, while in women it is breast cancer. Currently, the incidence of metastatic tumors is about 15 cases per 100,000 people a year.

Symptoms

Severe headache is the first common symptom for both benign and malignant brain tumors. This symptom in a benign neoplasm means that the nerve cells of certain areas of the brain are already being pressured by the overgrown tumor. In the future, nausea and vomiting may accompany the headache. Symptoms such as impotence in men or menstrual irregularities and uterine bleeding in women can be symptoms of a pituitary tumor.

An early examination for brain cancer is required if one of the following symptoms is present:

• Headaches
• Mental disorders (behavior changes)
• Impairment of speech, vision, or hearing
• Impaired motor functions (paralysis, muscle spasms, and cramps)
• Impaired concentration or attention
• Memory impairment

These may turn out to be symptoms of another disease, but even in this case, it is necessary not to ignore them.

Types of brain tumors

The most common classification of brain tumors in oncology considers the localization and the histological type. Localization determines the development of the specific symptoms and the possibility of surgical treatment. The histological type characterizes the nature of the tumor, the degree of cell differentiation, which is important for the prognosis of brain tumor treatment.

As with all oncology, a brain tumor can be heterogeneous histologically. Histological benignity in this case is not always connected with a favorable prognosis, since the localization of the process in some parts of the brain is hard to reach for surgeons.

According to the localization of the process, intracerebral, intraventricular, and extracerebral tumors are distinguished.

• Astrocytoma.

This brain tumor arises from astrocytes (auxiliary cells in the brain). Astrocytomas have four degrees of malignancy in correspondence with stages of brain cancer: pilocytic astrocytoma – the I stage, fibrillar – the II stage, anaplastic – the III stage, and glioblastoma – the IV stage.

• Oligodendroglioma.

It arises from oligodendrocytes (neuroglial cells). It has four degrees of malignancy, like astrocytoma.

• Mixed gliomas.

Mixed gliomas are tumors that consist of more than one type of glial cells. Glial tumors are the most numerous group of brain oncology.

• Ependymomas.

Ependymomas are prone to metastasize to cerebrospinal fluid. They account for about 10% of all intracranial neoplasms.

• Neuronal and neuronal-glial tumors.

Neuronal brain tumors, in order of malignancy increasing, include gangliocytoma (benign), ganglioneuroblastoma, and neuroblastoma. The tumors arise from ganglion cells (neuron cells).

Diagnostics

Today, the main methods for diagnosing a brain tumor are MRI and CT (PET-CT) scan. In some cases, samples of tumor tissue are taken for histological examination – this is a biopsy, which is considered a surgical intervention.

In hospitals in the Czech Republic, microscopic examination of tumor cells is conducted first, which is mandatory when brain cancer is detected. It allows doctors to understand the severity of pathological changes and assess the degree of tumor malignancy.

Thanks to the information obtained, it is possible to establish the stage of the brain tumor. The stage of the tumor is determined by such factors as:

• The growth rate of cancer cells
• The intensity of the blood supply to the neoplasm
• The presence of dead cells in the center of the tumor (zone of necrosis)
• The degree of similarity of cancer cells to normal cells
• The presence of clear boundaries of pathological focus within healthy tissues

Treatment options

The choice of brain tumor treatment depends on the size and type of tumor, the location of the primary tumor, and the patient's health condition.

The main methods of brain tumor treatment include:

• Surgery.

Surgery is possible for certain types of brain tumors that the surgeon can remove without side effects. The presence of multiple or deeply located metastases is usually a contraindication to neurosurgical intervention.

• Chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy includes systemic drug treatment. It may be accompanied by symptomatic therapy. These are drugs that relieve headaches (pain relievers), eliminate seizures (anticonvulsants), and prevent cerebral edema (for example, steroid drugs). Chemotherapy drugs aimed at destroying the primary tumor and metastatic loci. Chemotherapy is not widely used in the treatment of brain metastases, because it is not very effective.

• Radiation therapy.

Radiation therapy can be applied both to the entire brain and to a specific area where metastases are located. During the proton therapy for brain tumor treatment, a metastatic brain tumor is irradiated from different sides at different angles. Proton therapy centers use it as the first line therapeutic option for the destruction of tumors that are not accessible to the surgeon's scalpel.

Proton beam therapy

Proton therapy is the most advanced radiotherapy technique for cancer treatment. Tumors are irradiated with a proton beam that is capable of destroying malignant cells. With all its effectiveness, proton therapy is one of the most sparing methods of brain tumor treatment, because high-precision irradiation of proton therapy does not harm healthy tissues of the brain.

Proton therapy centers successfully treat patients who have been diagnosed with diseases such as brain oncology, prostate cancer, oncological neoplasms of the eye, and other types of tumors. As a rule, proton therapy is prescribed for tumors that are located in places difficult to access for classical treatment methods, and in cases with a high risk of damage to healthy organs surrounding the malignant neoplasm.

In the most difficult cases, proton therapy proves to be effective, and in some it is the only possible way to treat the patient. The main advantages of proton therapy for brain tumor treatment are:

• High efficiency of treatment.

Proton therapy, in comparison with conventional radiotherapy, increases the patient's chances of a full recovery significantly. Proton therapy is especially effective in cases where traditional irradiation did not show any positive results.

• Great penetrating power.

The proton beams can penetrate cancer cells that lay deep in the tissues of the body. The high power of proton therapy can effectively destroy tumors up to 30 cm deep.

• Irradiation accuracy.

The equipment for proton therapy procedure can act on the cells of malignant tumors pointwise, directing the beams exactly to the target, without affecting other organs.

• A safer technique.

Potential complications after a course of traditional radiotherapy are relatively high. They are caused by radiation side effects on healthy organs. That is why proton therapy is more preferable in pediatrics when working with cancer in children.

Today, proton therapy is the most effective treatment for metastatic brain lesions. Proton therapy treatment allows the rapid destruction of tumors while maintaining the patient's quality of life.

The main advantages of proton therapy are high efficiency of action on metastatic foci, absence of complications associated with open surgery, and the possibility of treating multiple, deeply located metastases. Proton therapy is possible both as the primary treatment and after surgery and/or radiation therapy.

Where can I undergo proton therapy in Czech Republic?

Health tourism is becoming more and more popular these days, as treatment abroad often ensures a much better quality of proton therapy.

Specialized medical institutions in the Czech Republic practice the method of proton therapy. The Proton Therapy Center in Prague shows the best success rates in proton therapy in Czech Republic.

The Proton Therapy Center in Prague is the world's leading medical institution equipped with the most modern technologies used for the treatment of cancer patients with a proton beam therapy method. The first proton therapy center in the Czech Republic accepts patients with all types of cancer.

The proton therapy center has 5 radiation therapy rooms. Also, the clinic is equipped with the necessary diagnostic devices: computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET CT).

The Proton Therapy Center Prague is one of the most modern medical facilities in the world. With high-precision technology and the high quality equipment, patients can receive the best services for treatment. Thanks to the flexibility and accuracy of the proton beam, it became possible to treat any tumor, including those located close to vital organs, without significant harm to the patient's health and restrictions in the usual lifestyle.

The Proton Therapy Center in Prague is an outpatient facility for the treatment and diagnostic examinations.

The work of the proton therapy center in Prague complies with international protocols and world standards. The institution constantly supports the radiation oncology of this country, making significant contribution to its development.

The main task of this proton therapy center is to use the method of radiation exposure as a fundamental method of treating oncological pathologies. Today, many leading hospitals around the world have included proton therapy in the protocols for the treatment of benign and malignant tumors.

You can find more information about the proton therapy centers and the services they provide on the Booking Health website.

The cost of treatment in Czech Republic

The prices in hospitals listed on the Booking Health website are relatively low. With Booking Health, you can undergo proton therapy in Czech Republic at an affordable price.

The average cost for proton therapy treatment in the Czech Republic is approximately 50,000 EUR.

Proton therapy for brain tumor treatment costs 53,899 EUR. To compare, proton therapy for prostate cancer treatment costs 44,648 EUR; proton therapy for breast cancer treatment costs 44,526 EUR; proton therapy for lung cancer treatment costs 44,462 EUR.

The cost for proton therapy treatment varies, as the prices depend on the proton therapy center, the specifics of the disease, and the complexity of its treatment.

You also need to consider the cost of additional procedures and follow-up care. Therefore, the ultimate cost of treatment in Czech Republic may differ from the initial price.

To make sure that the cost of treatment in Czech Republic is suitable for you, contact us by leaving the request on the Booking Health website.

How can I undergo treatment with proton therapy in the Czech Republic?

It is not easy to self-organize any treatment abroad. It requires certain knowledge and expertise. Thus, it is safer, easier, and less stressful to shift some responsibility onto a medical tourism agency.

As the largest and most transparent medical tourism agency, Booking Health has up-to-date information about proton therapy treatment in the best hospitals in the world. With accurate information on the success rates of the hospitals in proton therapy, Booking Health will help you select the right medical facility taking into account your wishes for treatment.

We want to help you and take on all the troubles. You can be free of unnecessary stress, while Booking Health takes care of all organizational issues. Our services are aimed at undergoing proton therapy safely and successfully.

Medical tourism can be easy! All you need to do first, is to leave a request on the Booking Health website, and our manager will contact you shortly.