How Thinking Smaller Helped Us Reach More People with Proton Therapy
Proton therapy is one of the latest advancements in the war against cancer. Proton therapy uses highly energized subatomic particles (protons) instead of traditional X-ray radiation (which uses photons). The biggest advantage of proton therapy compared to traditional photon therapy is that proton beams can be sculpted to deposit energy into the tumor target while restricting the dose to the surrounding tissues. This enhanced precision means that there is less damage to surrounding healthy tissues and therefore, fewer and milder side effects for patients.
Unfortunately, as with many advancements in the medical world, proton reactors were quite costly. Until recently, most hospitals were not able to offer the treatment because the equipment required a massive physical space as well as a large financial commitment. However, recent advancements in proton therapy technology have made the systems much smaller and less costly to build and operate.
Mevion – The History of Proton Therapy
Seeing that traditional proton therapy systems were too expensive, too large, and much too complex for most cancer treatment centers, in 2004 Mevion, along with an expert proton therapy team set out with a goal to reduce the size and cost of the equipment to make it more accessible to everyone. Through a partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, they developed a high-field magnet to reduce the size of the proton accelerator.
In 2012, the MEVION S250, the world’s first compact proton therapy system, received FDA clearance. By shrinking the equipment footprint and the operational and financial costs, now more health systems (and even private practices) can deliver this superior proton therapy. In 2015, Mevion introduced the MEVION S250i with HYPERSCAN pencil beam scanning and MEVION S250mx Multi-Room Proton Therapy Solution. They continue to refine and improve this technology and at KCPI, we will be anxiously awaiting any and all advancements.
Keeping Cancer Care Compact
Kansas City Proton Institute (KCPI), the first physician-led proton therapy center in the Midwest, treated our first patients in December of 2023 with the MEVION S250i Proton Therapy System®. KCPI features Mevion’s industry-leading HYPERSCAN® pencil beam scanning technology for Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy (IMPT) with a proton MLC. The powerful duo delivers faster and more precise, therapeutic doses of radiation to tumors while preserving surrounding healthy tissue and organs at risk. This precision makes proton therapy an ideal treatment choice for tumors near sensitive parts of the body such as the head and neck, spinal cord, breasts, esophagus, prostate, lung, bone, stomach, colon, and bladder.
The MEVION S250i system at KCPI also integrates an advanced 3D imaging system and will install the C-RAD Catalyst PT surface-guided tracking system, enabling a cutting-edge Image-Guided Proton Therapy configuration for high-precision patient positioning and intra-fraction motion management.
Kansas City’s Only Office-Based Proton Therapy Provider
Kansas City Proton Institute is the Midwest’s first physician-led outpatient proton therapy center. Our mission is to provide the most advanced form of radiation therapy in partnership with a patient’s existing physician care team. Our expert oncologists, clinical care teams, and researchers are dedicated to improving cancer care and advancing the clinical evidence for proton therapy.
Convenience and Accessibility
At the Kansas City Proton Institute in Overland Park, we offer the same level of care as hospital-based facilities but in a more convenient setting. There’s no need to deal with complex hospital layouts, parking garages, parking fees, and the associated stress of hospital visits. At KCPI, patients can access their treatments with ease. This focus on patient convenience is reflective of our overall approach to care, where every aspect of the patient experience is designed to reduce stress and facilitate healing.
“We know patients have choices when it comes to cancer care, and when they choose KCPI, we want them to know they have access to the best treatments, convenient care, and knowledgeable staff,” said Dr. James Coster, radiation oncologist for Kansas City Proton Institute. “KCPI is committed to providing the most advanced form of radiation therapy in an outpatient facility making proton therapy accessible and for all patients.”
Proton Therapy Is Step One in Providing Better Care
Proton therapy sets a new standard in cancer care. Our new facility is bringing this cutting-edge therapy to thousands of cancer patients in the Kansas City area. Considering all of the advantages of proton therapy, we are proud and excited by all of that. But there’s one thing that we are even more passionate about … our commitment to patient-first care.
While the MEVION S250i Proton Therapy System is an amazing instrument, it is still an instrument… a machine… not capable of understanding the human condition. It cannot sense the fear, feel the clammy hand, detect the trembling lip, interpret the glassy eyes, or predict the tears about to spill over the edge. In all of its glory, it is cold and unfeeling. It is essentially a bigger, better gun in a terrifying battle against an unseen enemy – cancer. While we want the biggest and best weapons in this war, we know that providing the best healthcare requires more – proton therapy, plus compassionate care.
What Is Patient-First Care?
At KCPI, while we strive to provide the best care for the body, we are aware that the body is just one dimension of the human condition. Traditionally, repairing the physical body has been the focus of medicine – fix the body, and let someone else help with the rest. The mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of wellness weren’t considered part of medical care. What we have found, however, is that they are all inextricably linked. That’s why, at KCPI, we are deeply committed to providing compassionate care. We call it Patient-First Care.
