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OncoLogics, Inc. to bring Proton
Beam Radiation Therapy to Southwest Louisiana
OncoLogics, Inc., the most comprehensive radiosurgical
and radiation therapy clinic in southwest Louisiana, announced
today that it has entered into an agreement to purchase a
Clinatron-250™ proton beam radiation therapy (PBRT)
system from Still River Systems.
OncoLogics will become one of very
few treatment centers in the nation, and the only center
in Louisiana, to commit to this technology, which many in
the medical community consider the gold standard for treating
cancers — especially in children and young adults.
Currently, only five U.S. health care facilities
have large-scale proton beam radiation therapy systems weighing
more than 440,000 pounds that require almost 100,000 square
feet of space, with a price tag upward of $150 million for
the equipment and building. A group of physicists and other
scientists from MIT and other academic proton research facilities
have spent years developing a smaller, more economical cyclotron
that can produce and deliver protons for radiation therapy.
This new technology still comes with a hefty price tag. To
date, less than ten centers have committed to purchasing
this new technology - among them are MD Anderson - Orlando,
Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Oklahoma University's Cancer Institute,
Tufts New England Medical Center, and OncoLogics.
"Proton Beam Radiation Therapy is among the best on the market for treating
cancers in the head and neck, chest, brain and abdomen," says Dr. M. Maitland
DeLand, FACR, FACRO, President and Medical Director of Lafayette based OncoLogics,
Inc. "Impressive clinical outcomes have also been reported for stereotactic
applications, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), prostate, lung, and ocular
treatments. It is also the preferred radiation treatment for pediatric patients."
“The beauty of the technology
is that, unlike currently available radiation therapy systems,
protons slow down then stop IN the target, IN the tumor,
depositing their energy within the malignant tissue, therefore
eliminating the radiation beams from exiting through the
body and causing any damage to the tissue along the way."
"This is especially important when treating
children and young adults, because it will significantly
reduce the risk of damage to surrounding tissues and organs,
which become evident as the patients age. It is also significantly
beneficial when treating tumors that lie next to critical
structures, such as the spinal cord or ocular nerve. The
nature of the beam itself will, in some cases, reduce treatment
times, the number of treatments and is a boon to patients
whose health precludes cancer surgery. These are just a few
of the benefits of proton therapy.”
"Although proton beam therapy has been
used to treat cancer patients for many years, it is been
cost prohibitive for common use and therefore not readily
available to cancer patients throughout the world. Even at
those few centers where proton therapy is available, there
are long waiting lists for use and patients are given certain
priority based upon type of cancer, age, degree of illness,
etc. While the price tag is still well over $20 million for
the equipment and facility, it's a far cry from the $150
million centers and is a quantum leap in radiation therapy," says
DeLand.
"Still River is manufacturing the major
components of the machine, which will take some time to complete,
test and assemble. In the meantime, OncoLogics is considering
site location and will begin developing construction plans
for the vault, which is more complex than most. This process
will take a couple of years before we begin treating patients
with the new technology," says DeLand, "but we
are looking forward to its arrival and are excited to provide
this kind of advancement to our patients. With the machine
centrally located in the state, we anticipate patients will
come from a 100 to 200 mile radius to receive treatment.”
Last Updated on 12/10/07
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ONCONEWS
> 15th Annual Breast
Health Symposium - 10/8/08
> Oncologics Partners with Pink
Ribbon Fund - 9/27/08
> ACS 2008 Hope Gala Spirit Award Recipients - 8/23/08
> Dr. Prellop Takes Part In Celebrating Women Physicians-
7/7/08
> National Cancer Survivor's Day
- 6/1/08
> Oncologics & ACS Look Good, Feel Better Day -
4/8/08
> CentreWomen Announces Ribbon Cutting - 2/17/08
> Proton Beam Radiation Therapy
- 12/10/07
> Lung Cancer
- 11/07/07
> Dr. Prellop Discusses
Cervical Cancer - 10/05/07
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