When a cancer center decides to add proton therapy to its radiation oncology department, it makes a long-term commitment to therapeutic innovation and high-quality patient care. A question remains essential: how to select the best proton therapy equipment provider, to ensure optimal installation and best-in-class performance throughout the system’s lifecycle?​

Does IBA support radiation oncology centers in improving their proton therapy journey? ​

How can we improve the environmental impact of cancer care in the growing context of climate change and worldwide ecological issues?
 

In the realm of cancer treatment, the pursuit of innovation is relentless. Proton therapy has emerged as a transformative approach, pushing the boundaries of cancer care. Dr. Michael Kasper is the Medical Director at the Lynn Cancer Institute of Boca Raton Regional Hospital, Baptist Health, South Florida. This blog highlights Dr. Kasper’s insights on the advancements in radiation oncology and in proton therapy, and the significant role of the ProteusONE system in this evolving landscape. 

Dr. Ronald Chen, Professor, and Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Kansas, specializes in genitourinary (GU) cancers, including prostate cancer, bladder cancer, and kidney cancer. The University of Kansas is a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and is the sole NCI cancer center in its region. This designation underscores their commitment to providing the best treatment options for their cancer patients, which include proton therapy.

The journey of proton therapy for cancer treatment has been transformative, particularly at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). The discussion led by Dr. Helen Shih and Dr. Anthony Zietman highlights the advancements in proton therapy at MGH since its initial installation in the 1960s, and the excitement of the first restoration of a proton therapy system. Dr. Shih is the medical director of the Proton Therapy Center, specializing in brain and ocular tumors, while Dr. Zietman, former chief of Radiation Oncology, specializes in genitourinary (GU) oncology and has been using proton therapy since for almost four decades.

Dr. Lane Rosen, Director of Radiation Oncology at Willis Knighton Cancer Center in Shreveport, Louisiana, highlights the transformative impact of introducing proton therapy with the ProteusONE system at their facility. In this blog, he shares insights into how a community hospital can successfully implement proton therapy, traditionally reserved for larger academic centers. 

Adding proton therapy to a radiation oncology department is an important long-term investment for cancer centers. In this blog, you will discover some essential points to consider when selecting the right proton therapy partner, as explained by Dr. Arie Dosoretz, radiation oncologist and managing partner for Advocate Radiation Oncology and Southwest Florida Proton in Fort Myers, Florida. As they embark on the installation of the IBA ProteusONE system, their well-informed decision went beyond mere technology. As Dr. Dosoretz highlights, the choice is also motivated by the possibility to build a lasting partnership, aimed at meeting current needs but also ensuring future adaptability and growth. 

As cancer treatment with proton therapy is stepping forward into the new era of proton arc therapy (PAT), exciting advancements are on the horizon: IBA together with its clinical partner, Corewell Health’s William Beaumont University Hospital Proton Therapy Center, and industrial partners, Elekta, RaySearch Laboratories and IBA Dosimetry, have taken a significant step for arc proton therapy, moving forward to demonstrate the technical feasibility of DynamicARC* and its ecosystem using the ProteusONE system. These recent tests provide the proof that the unequaled advantages of DynamicARC are within technical reach and bring this innovative treatment approach even closer to Proteus users, enabling a new level of precision and effectiveness to treat cancer patients with proton therapy. In this blog, Dr Rohan Deraniyagala, Medical Director, and Dr. Xuangfeng (Leo) Ding, Lead Proton Physicist, share their excitement for the DynamicARC feasibility and accuracy delivery tests, and its future use for many patient candidates on the ProteusONE system. 

Prof. Barbara Alicja Jereczek-Fossa is Chair of Radiation Oncology at the European Institute of Oncology (IEO) in Milan and full Professor at the University of Milan, in Italy. She was elected President of the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) in 2024 and her term is set to begin in 2026. ESTRO’s mission is to reinforce radiation oncology as a core partner in multidisciplinary cancer care and to guarantee accessible and high-value radiation therapy for all cancer patients who need it. Prof. Jereczek-Fossa, a highly respected radiation oncologist, brings decades of clinical experience, institutional leadership at the IEO, and a powerful vision for expanding access to precision therapies like proton therapy worldwide. This article highlights her view on proton therapy and the future of precision cancer care.