An advanced proton therapy center for cancer treatment could be coming to North Texas. The innovative proton treatment facility would enhance regional cancer care and attract patients both nationally and internationally. Proton therapy provides highly targeted radiation treatment shown to be particularly effective in treating certain pediatric and adult cancers.
Discussions are being led by Baylor Health Enterprises, an affiliate of Baylor Health Care System, US Oncology, a division of McKesson Corporation, and Texas Oncology. With Baylor and US Oncology's ongoing commitment to cancer care in North Texas, the proposed high-tech facility would provide services through Texas Oncology and is expected to be completed in two to three years.
"We are excited about the prospect of bringing a proton therapy program to North Texas to enable access to clinical trials and collaboration with other leading centers that offer proton therapy around the world," said Dr. Steven Paulson, chairman and president of Texas Oncology. "Such a facility would give us another important treatment option for cancer patients in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and would serve patients from well beyond the area."
"This is an exciting time in the history of cancer treatment in the DFW Metroplex," said John McWhorter, president, Baylor University Medical Center. "With the newly opened Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center and the region's first dedicated cancer hospital opening in 2013, the proton therapy center is yet another example of Baylor's desire to be a leader in providing North Texans with advanced cancer care and treatment options."
Only nine proton therapy centers currently operate in the United States. The North Texas facility would include advanced features and capabilities of proton therapy with a smaller footprint than first-generation proton facilities, which occupied the space of an entire football field.
Unique properties of proton therapy allow delivery of targeted radiation doses with a high degree of accuracy, enabling the proton beam to destroy cancer cells with less damage to healthy tissue. Certain patients benefit from the more precise treatment and experience a higher quality of life during treatment.
"Anyone who has had a family member or friend go through cancer treatment immediately appreciates what this project represents to cancer patients in North Texas," said Dr. Roy Beveridge, medical director, US Oncology. "For the 1.5 million new cancer patients in the United States each year, proton therapy technology gives them new options and the prospect of a better quality of life."
About Baylor Scott & White Health
As the largest not-for-profit health system in the state of Texas, Baylor Scott & White promotes the health and well-being of every individual, family and community it serves. It is committed to making quality care more accessible, convenient and affordable through its integrated delivery network, which includes the Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, the Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance and its leading digital health platform — MyBSWHealth. Through 52 hospitals and more than 1,300 access points, including flagship academic medical centers in Dallas, Fort Worth and Temple, the system offers the full continuum of care, from primary to award-winning specialty care. Founded as a Christian ministry of healing more than a century ago, Baylor Scott & White today serves more than three million Texans. For more information, visit: BSWHealth.com