Initial Consultation

Consultation and Treatment Process

The first step to determine if your child is a proton therapy candidate is to schedule an initial consultation. Your doctor can make a referral or you can make an appointment yourself by calling +1 469-513-5500.

Prior to your visit, a member of Texas Center for Proton Therapy’s care team will call to discuss what to expect and bring. You and your child will meet with a physician, who will determine if proton therapy is the right cancer treatment for your child. If your child qualifies for treatment, you will get all the information you need to make your child’s proton therapy as smooth as possible.

If you are traveling from out of town, the Patient Support Services staff can help you arrange travel and lodging. Learn more what to expect for your first proton therapy appointment.

The CT simulation

If your child is a candidate for proton therapy treatment, he or she will receive a CT simulation. This process may happen on your initial consultation day or be scheduled for later, depending on your child’s unique circumstances. Used for treatment planning, a CT simulation is an imaging process done before therapy to determine the exact location, shape, and size of the tumor.

The treatment process

Your physician and nursing staff will provide instructions for your child’s first proton therapy treatment. Timing and duration varies depending on the patient and type of cancer. A typical cycle includes daily treatments, Monday through Friday, for six to eight weeks.

If your child needs anesthesia, one caregiver will bring him or her to a special room designed especially for our pediatric patients called the Sunrise Room. Here, the child will be prepped for treatment. Then a member of Texas Center for Proton Therapy’s specialized pediatric anesthesia team will administer appropriate anesthesia in either the Sunrise Room or the proton treatment room. To make proton treatment for children as comfortable as possible, patients can bring their favorite comfort item.

After proton treatment, your child will return to the Sunrise Room. A member of your child’s care team will bring one caregiver back to the Sunrise Room to be with your child when he or she wakes up from anesthesia.