UH Seidman Cancer Center Breaks Ground On $30 Million Proton Therapy Center

Posted by Heidi Schwartz

University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland is breaking ground on a $30 million proton therapy center, becoming one of an elite group of cancer centers in the U.S. to offer this revolutionary technology. (Photo: PRNewsFoto/University Hospitals)

University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center is breaking ground on a $30 million proton therapy center, becoming one of an elite group of cancer centers in the country to offer this revolutionary technology. There are currently only 11 operational proton therapy centers in the nation and the UH Seidman Cancer Center site will be the first in Ohio.

“We are very excited to bring this leading-edge technology to Ohio,” says Nathan Levitan, MD, President, UH Seidman Cancer Center. “We have made this $30 million investment in keeping with our commitment to bring the most advanced cancer-fighting treatments and technology to our community and to the country as a national leader in cancer care.”

Scheduled to open to patients in 2015, the Proton Therapy Center will be housed on the UH Case Medical Center campus. The technology will be used primarily for pediatric cancer patients as well as patients with certain brain and spine malignancies. The utility of this new therapy is being studied in a variety of other cancer types as well.

“One of the most exciting aspects of our new proton center is its proximity to UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital which will allow easy access for our pediatric patients and families. Most proton therapy centers are located many miles away from the nearest children’s hospital. Clinical research trials studying the best means of using protons are in development, and we will be among the leaders in research studies of proton beam radiotherapy,” says David Mansur, MD, Director of the Proton Therapy Center.

The technology will complement UH Seidman Cancer Center’s existing, state-of-the-art photon-beam based radiation therapy services, which include Synergy-S Hexapod, Cyberknife, TomoTherapy and Perfexion Gamma Knife.  UH is one of the only cancer centers in the country to offer such a broad range of advanced photon-based radiation technology under one roof.

“With the addition of a proton beam facility, we will be able to offer a full array of the latest in cutting edge radiotherapy,” says Mitch Machtay, MD, Chairman of Radiation Oncology at UH Case Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. “This technology will be a great complement to our existing state-of-the-art radiation oncology equipment and personnel at Seidman, and more importantly, the lives of many people with cancer and their families will be ultimately enhanced by this investment.”

“Building a proton therapy center is a huge boon for our patients as well as this entire region,” says Stan Gerson, MD, Director of the UH Seidman Cancer Center and the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. “Our cancer hospital brings a wealth of diagnostic and treatment technologies under one roof to provide the nation’s most advanced cancer care and this new proton therapy center is the next tool in our arsenal. This novel system with its compact nature will be fully integrated within the Seidman Cancer Center.”