Oklahoma to Fight Cancer with Protons

Published October 16, 2010

Oklahoma City, OK (PRWEB) November 15, 2006

Radiation Medicine Associates and Radiation Oncology Associates, two leading radiation oncology practices in Oklahoma City, are bringing proton therapy, the most advanced external radiation therapy treatment available, to Oklahoma City.

The physicians have partnered with ProCure Treatment Centers, Inc. (www.procurecenters.com), an Indiana-based company, to build the first private practice proton therapy treatment center in the United States. Scheduled for completion in 2009, the 55,000 sq. ft. facility will give an additional 1,500 cancer patients per year in the U.S. access to proton therapy.

Radiation Medicine Associates (RMA) and Radiation Oncology Associates (ROA) are well known and respected clinical practices with long histories of excellence in Oklahoma City, and have pioneered the newest and most appropriate cancer treatment technologies in the community. The physicians practicing in RMA and ROA are longstanding members of the Oklahoma community who have dedicated their professional lives to the improvement of cancer treatment.

The announcement was made at a 2:30 p.m. news conference held at the Presbyterian Health Foundation in Oklahoma City. At the event, ProCure founder Dr. John Cameron credited RMA and ROA for drawing attention to Oklahoma City as an ideal location for the world-class facility.

“We are thrilled to be building here and excited to work with such renowned local physicians,” said Cameron. “We applaud the vision of Dr. Goad and our clinical partners in bringing this important technology to the cancer patients of Oklahoma City.”

“Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Oklahoma,” Governor Brad Henry said in a written statement. “With the addition of this state-of-the-art treatment facility, fewer Oklahoma families will be forced to travel to other parts of the country for the best possible treatment in their fight against cancer.”

Proton therapy uses a controlled beam of protons to halt the growth of cancer cells in a tumor. Nearly 50,000 cancer sufferers have taken advantage of the technology to effectively treat the most common types of cancer, including head and neck, prostate, breast, lung, colorectal and brain tumors.

The procedure is non-invasive, painless, and destroys tumors more effectively than traditional forms of radiation therapy, while greatly reducing damage to the surrounding, healthy tissue. Proton therapy’s ability to precisely target tumors makes it ideal for treating tumors near vital organs, particularly in children, who are more sensitive than adults to the effects of radiation.

According to William C. Goad, MD, who formed Radiation Medicine Associates in 2001 with Dr. John Taylor, protons have a unique advantage compared to traditional photon therapy.

“The physical quality of proton particle therapy is superior and limits the exposure of normal tissues to the effects of radiation,” Dr. Goad said. “When proton therapy is combined with chemotherapy, patients will have fewer side effects and complications that may limit their ability to tolerate treatment for the best results. Clinical studies demonstrate that proton therapy has a significant advantage for reducing side effects and improving the outcome of treatment for cancer patients.”

“With the addition of a proton therapy treatment center, Oklahoma City takes another important step toward leading the nation in the development and use of the latest technology,” Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett said.

In the United States, proton therapy is currently only available in five major academic centers including Loma Linda University in southern California, Massachusetts General Hospital (Harvard Medical School) in Boston, MA, Indiana University in Bloomington, IN, The University of Florida in Jacksonville, FL and MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX.

According to ProCure Chief Executive Officer Hadley Ford, 80 percent of cancer patients seek treatment from their local physician instead of going to the large universities for treatment. “That’s why we’re focusing our attention on forming partnerships at the community level,” Ford said. “Our dream is to make proton therapy accessible to everyone who would benefit from the treatment.”

ProCure Treatment Centers, Inc. was founded in 2005 by Dr. John Cameron, a particle therapy physics pioneer who was pivotal in the development of the Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute in Bloomington, IN. Dr. Cameron’s mission is to increase the availability of proton therapy for cancer patients by building partnerships with the nation’s leading radiation oncologists and community hospitals to create a world-class network of proton therapy centers in communities across the United States.

For more information about ProCure Treatment Centers, please visit www.procurecenters.com.

Contact:

Quin Tran

405.608.0445 or 405.412.9438

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