Photon vs. Proton Therapy For Breast Cancer: The RADCOMP Trial with Dr. Shannon MacDonald

In the second episode of our special two-part series, Dr. Shannon MacDonald rejoins host David Raubach to discuss the RADCOMP trial — the first randomized study comparing proton therapy and traditional photon radiation for breast cancer.With more than 1,200 patients enrolled, the phase III Radiotherapy Comparative Effectiveness (RADCOMP) trial is also the largest study to date directly comparing proton and photon therapy for any type of cancer.One of the defining advantages of proton therapy is the Bragg Peak, which allows radiation to stop directly within the tumor, helping reduce exposure to surrounding healthy tissue and organs. As proton therapy centers continue to expand across the United States, so does the need for research comparing these two forms of radiation treatment.Dr. MacDonald serves as Senior Medical Director of the Southwest Florida Proton Center. In September, she presented the phase III RADCOMP results at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) annual meeting.In this episode, Dr. MacDonald explains the purpose of the RADCOMP trial and why its focus on long-term quality-of-life outcomes makes the research especially significant. Since proton therapy was first used to treat breast cancer in 2010, physicians have been eager for more data comparing patient outcomes, side effects, and overall quality of life between proton and photon therapy.For more in-depth information about the RADCOMP trial, please visit the resources linked below.Episode Resources:Radiotherapy Comparative Effectiveness Trial:https://www.astro.org/news-and-publications/news-and-media-center/news-releases/2025/first-randomized-study-comparing-proton-and-photon-radiation-therapy-for-breast-cancer-finds-both-prOklahoma Proton Centerhttps://www.okcproton.com/https://www.instagram.com/okprotoncenter/https://www.facebook.com/OKProtonCenterThe Cancer Project Podcasthttps://www.instagram.com/the_cancerprojecthttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581844363126https://www.tiktok.com/@protonguy