Is Proton Beam Therapy Available In Australia

High energy proton beam therapy has been available at the christie hospital in manchester from late 2018.

Is proton beam therapy available in australia.

There are more than 70 facilities operating or under development in the northern hemisphere usa europe and asia none in the asia pacific region. Proton beam therapy pbt is radiation therapy that uses heavier particles protons instead of x rays which are used in conventional radiotherapy. A small number of people in south wales may have proton beam therapy on the nhs at the rutherford cancer centre. Pbt is not currently available for cancer patients within australia.

The proton therapy centre will deliver the most technologically advanced precision radiation therapy available in australia. Cancerous cells are particularly vulnerable to attacks on dna. It will also be available at university college hospital in london from 2020. Proton therapy is one of the most technologically advanced treatments for cancer.

It is anticipated the centre will provide treatment to approximately 600 700 patients per annum with around half of these expected to be children and young adults. Proton therapy can cause side effects as the cancer cells die or when the energy from the proton beam damages healthy tissue. It is a precise non invasive non surgical procedure. So you would have to pay for this treatment or use private insurance if you have it.

Proton therapy is a type of external beam radiotherapy that uses ionizing radiation in proton therapy medical personnel use a particle accelerator to target a tumor with a beam of protons. This is a private treatment centre in newport. Transported along an evacuated tube into one of a number of treatment rooms and delivered to the patient via gantries allowing 360 degree rotation around the patient or via single beam lines. Proton beam therapy is also available in private treatment centres in the uk.

Proton therapy australia pta will develop australia s first proton therapy facility. Proton therapy is regarded as one of the most advanced treatments for cancer in the radiotherapy market. She described the possibility of proton therapy being available in australia as an exciting and necessary development. Protons are split off a hydrogen atom accelerated to roughly two thirds the speed of light.

Low energy proton beam therapy is available at the clatterbridge cancer centre in wirral to treat tumours of the eye. Increasing the access to protons in australia for paediatric patients provides great long term benefit to families and the medical and education system by reducing the late effects of conventional treatments she said.