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Children with cancer are now treated at the ProCure Proton Therapy Center, where a wide range of tumors are treated with proton therapy, an alternative to x-ray radiation that spares healthy tissue.

“Proton therapy is a particularly important treatment option for children who experience more serious short- and long-term side effects from x-ray radiation than adults,” said W.C. Goad, M.D., medical director of the Center and a founder of Radiation Medicine Associates (RMA), the radiation oncology practice that provides clinical care at the Center. “Since their bodies are still growing, children are more sensitive to the damage to healthy tissue caused by x-ray s. ”

Clinical studies suggest that proton therapy reduces the risk of growth and developmental problems, as well as resulting in fewer recurring or secondary tumors. “The very good news is that many children diagnosed with cancer survive and thrive thanks to the advances in treatment,” said Dr. Goad. “We need to do all we can to take measures that cut down on side effects so they have not only a long life but an excellent quality of life.”

“When we heard about the benefits of proton therapy, we knew it was the right treatment,” said Susan Ralston, founder of the Pediatric Proton Foundation and mother of Jacob, who was treated with proton therapy at the Proton Therapy Center at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in 2007. “What parent wouldn’t want to give their child the opportunity to not only beat their cancer, but to limit the amount of radiation they are exposed to so they have the opportunity to grow up tall, achieve a 4.0 on their report card and live a happy, healthy life.”

“Providing children with greater access to proton therapy is at the very core of ProCure’s mission,” said John Cameron, Ph.D., founder and president of ProCure Treatment Centers, Inc., which also has a center under construction in suburban Chicago and four others in development. “We plan to keep building centers until every child and every adult who could benefit from proton therapy, has access to this important treatment option.”

The ProCure Proton Therapy Center in Oklahoma City is the sixth center in the country to provide proton therapy and the first in ProCure's network of centers to provide this advanced radiation therapy to patients with cancer. Construction is running on schedule with the ProCure facility in suburban Chicago, and ProCure has centers in development in Seattle; Somerset, N.J.; Detroit and South Florida. 

Source: ProCure Treatment Center

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