Controversies surrounding proton therapy also relate to allocation. Physicists and clinicians hold that proton therapy is more effective than conventional radiotherapy, so the challenge is how best to use this costly and precious resource.
"Each time someone comes up with a new protocol, that expands the addressable market," said Ford. "The amount of people who protons can help will increase...and the number of centers isn't increasing that rapidly. There is a huge supply and demand imbalance today. That will only get worse before it gets better."
Note: A symposium on proton therapy, sponsored by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), takes place May 8-9 in Baltimore. Watch DOTmed's continuing online coverage of proton therapy events, issues and topics.
U.S. Proton Therapy Centers
In Operation:
-James M. Slater, M.D. Proton Treatment and Research Center at Loma
Linda University Medical Center
-Francis H. Burr Proton Therapy Center at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center
- Proton Therapy Center at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
-Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute (MPRI) at Indiana University
-University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute
Under Construction:
-The Roberts Proton Therapy Center at University of Pennsylvania Health System (2009)
- ProCure Proton Therapy Center, Oklahoma City (2009)
-Hampton (VA) University Proton Therapy Institute
-Northern Illinois University Proton Treatment and Research Center
Under Development:
-South Florida Proton Center at University of Miami
Source: National Association for Proton Therapy, www.proton-therapy.org
Back to HCB News