Phelan is due to start treatment soon.
Irish cervical cancer campaigner Vicky Phelan has said that her new treatment will afford her "at least six months".
Taking to her Instagram page, Vicky's Tribe, Ms Phelan shared that she has decided to start proton beam therapy as part of a new US drug trial. The therapy is a type of radiation treatment that targets tumours precisely with the use of protons.
She also explained that cancer patients do not have access to this type of treatment in Ireland.
Phelan wrote:
"Following a consultation at Georgetown University Hospital last Friday, I have been deemed eligible for proton beam therapy.
"The advantage of this type of radiation therapy over traditional radiation therapy, like external beam therapy, which is what I had seven years ago when I was first diagnosed, is that proton beam therapy reduces the damage to surrounding healthy tissue and vital organs which is absolutely critical for me since my tumour mass is very close to many of my vital organs."
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Phelan added:
"Patients in Ireland have to go to the UK or elsewhere in Europe to avail of this treatment.
"And so, while I am still here in the United States, I wanted to see if I would be eligible to have proton beam therapy. The great news is that the answer is yes."
Vicky explained that the treatment could shrink a tumour mass that is "dangerously close" to invading her vital organs, and while it won't cure her cancer, it will hopefully see her live longer.
"I would buy myself at least six months before I would see this tumour mass growing back. Given how slow my tumours grow, I may even get more than six months. Who knows what new treatments will become available in six months?"
Phelan was one of the many women who was impacted by the Irish CervicalCheck scandal. She has been documenting her experience with cancer since she received her diagnosis.
Featured Image via Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie
