Anal Cancer Survivor Doris Wallace-Reed

"Texas Center for Proton Therapy gave me and my husband hope that I can beat this."

Doris Wallace

Anal Cancer Survivor

In August of 2023, Doris Wallace-Reed found out that her anal cancer had returned. “I underwent traditional radiation treatment previously, and when I learned of my recurrence, I knew proton therapy was the way to go,” said Doris. She knew that she needed to seek treatment that would eradicate her cancer and preserve her vital organs and quality of life.

For patients with cancer recurrence, proton therapy is an ideal treatment option as it is highly precise and can be used as targeted therapy for tumors that have already been treated with traditional radiation. Proton therapy may be beneficial in treating many types of gastrointestinal cancers, including anal, colorectal, esophageal, liver, pancreatic and stomach cancer. According to clinical data on gastrointestinal cancers, proton therapy may help spare unnecessary radiation dose to healthy tissues and critical areas of the body including the liver, kidneys, bowels, bladder, and bone marrow, as well as mitigate secondary malignancies, femoral fractures, and small bowel obstructions.

Doris says that the targeted treatment and the knowledgeable staff made her feel confident in her choice to move forward with Texas Center for Proton Therapy. “The radiation therapists and Dr. Sturgeon were absolutely wonderful. Everyone at the front desk is fantastic! If you’re considering proton therapy, I say go for it. What have you got to lose?”

Now reveling in her retirement, Doris enjoys painting portraits, watching football with her husband, and gardening. “I’m diving more into my art since retiring and I wanted to be able to keep up with my passions and hobbies throughout treatment – and I am so grateful that I got to do just that,” says Doris. “Texas Center for Proton Therapy gave me and my husband hope that I can beat this.”

The information included in this testimonial is based on one patient’s unique experience and is not intended to represent all patient outcomes or expectations.