Proton beam boost for cancer patients

A PIONEERING form of radiotherapy will be available to cancer patients in Wales as soon as next year, it has been revealed.

The Proteus®ONE, the first proton beam therapy system to be delivered in the UK, will be installed at the Rutherford Cancer Centre in Newport in 2018.

The specialist oncology centre is expected to be operational “within weeks” to offer radiotherapy, chemotherapy and imaging.

But, due to the complex installation process, proton beam therapy will be available next year.

Olivier Legrain, chief executive officer of IBA, the company which installs and maintains the equipment, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Proton Partners International in making their vision of ‘creating a better future for cancer patients’ in the UK a reality.

“IBA’s proton therapy technology has been used to treat more cancer patients than any other proton therapy system in the world.

“We are committed to make this highly accurate form of radiotherapy available to all patients who can benefit from it.”

Proton beam therapy provides highly-targeted radiotherapy for hard-to-reach cancers.

It hit the headlines following a number of high-profile cases of patients in desperate need of the highly-specialised care.

Brain cancer sufferer Ashya King was given the all-clear after receiving proton beam therapy at a centre in Prague.

His parents Brett and Naghmeh King sparked an international manhunt in 2014 after taking their son out of hospital in Southampton without doctors’ consent.

Mike Moran, chief executive officer of Proton Partners International, said: “The single room Proteus®ONE equipped with Philips Ambient Experience has been designed to optimise the patient experience by providing a comfortable and calming environment.

“The optimised workflow will reduce the amount of time it takes staff to position patients for treatment and the stress for the patient – which is something that is extremely important to us as we develop the Rutherford Cancer Centres.

“We are at the final stages of finishing the build of our first oncology centre which will offer patients access to the latest technology in radiotherapy, chemotherapy and imaging.

“Following today’s successful delivery of the first Proteus®ONE machine in the UK, the installation process will begin and high energy proton beam therapy will be available at our South Wales centre next year.”

There are similar centres under development in Northumberland, Reading and Liverpool.