Proton Partners International has announced the delivery of a key piece of machinery for the UK's first proton beam therapy centre.
The ProteusONE – the first proton beam therapy system to be delivered in the UK – will be installed and maintained by Ion Beam Applications (IBA) at Proton Partners International’s first oncology centre, The Rutherford Cancer Centre in South Wales.
Proton Partners International is building a series of oncology centres and will also install the same system at the units currently under development in Northumberland, Reading and Liverpool.
The ProteusONE's compact gantry allows for advanced imaging techniques to be carried out.
Tumours are targeted with Cone Beam CT, a volumetric visualisation of the tumour and the body.
The Rutherford Cancer Centre, South Wales, is expected to be operational within weeks to offer radiotherapy, chemotherapy and imaging, and, due to the installation process, proton beam therapy will be available next year.
Olivier Legrain, chief executive officer of IBA, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Proton Partners International in making tits 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 and we are committed to making this highly-accurate form of radiotherapy available to all patients who can benefit from it.”
Mike Moran, chief executive of Proton Partners International, added: “The single room ProteusONE 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 centres.”
He added: “We are in 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 the successful delivery of the first ProteusONE 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.”