The provision of advanced cancer treatment in the South of England has ‘passed a key milestone’, with the arrival last month of the region’s first high energy proton beam therapy system.
Proton beam therapy – said to be particularly effective in tackling hard-toreach tumours and treating children without damaging healthy tissue – is now set to be available at the Rutherford Cancer Centre in Reading’s Thames Valley Science Park. The core elements of the proton beam therapy system – a 52-ton cyclotron and gantry – were lowered into place on 8 August at the new £30 m Rutherford Cancer Centre in the Berkshire town. The ProteusONE system is being installed by IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A.), an international provider of proton therapy solutions, and is reportedly the most advanced compact system available for adaptive treatment.
The Rutherford Cancer Centre Thames Valley will be equipped to treat 500 patients a year.
Mike Moran, CEO of Proton Partners International (PPI), which is creating a network of Rutherford Cancer Centres, said: “The Rutherford Cancer Centre Thames Valley’s close proximity to London and Heathrow means it can become a hub for patients in the South of England or those travelling to the UK for treatment.”
