In a futuristic room at the Stanford Medicine Cancer Center, a volunteer recently stepped into what the hospital describes as a first-of-its-kind device. The system delivers proton therapy, a specialized form of radiation.
Medicine is preparing to launch a compact proton therapy system that doctors say could mark a major shift in how tumors are treated. In a futuristic room at the Stanford Medicine Cancer Center, a volunteer recently stepped into what the hospital describes as a first-of-its-kind device.
The system delivers proton therapy, a specialized form of radiation. "The advantage of proton therapy is that it allows us to concentrate radiation dose in tumors, and less in the surrounding normal organs," said Dr. Billy Loo of Stanford Medicine. Developed by Mevion Medical Systems, the technology can rotate and move patients into precise positions to target different areas of the body while sparing nearby tissue. To understand how compact the new system is, Stanford points back to earlier generations of proton therapy machines. In 2009, one of the few operating systems in the country was located at UC Davis. It relied on a World War IIera particle accelerator known as a cyclotron, originally developed at Berkeley and later moved to Davis. The machine was encased in concrete several stories high."Proton therapy historically has always involved very large machines, meaning that you have to essentially build a new building around it," Loo said."Yeah. It's the same basic concept. However, it's basically miniaturized. Because of the design using superconducting magnets," Loo said. Dr. Susan Hiniker, director of pediatric oncology at Stanford Medicine, said the treatment could be especially important for young patients by reducing longterm side effects."Exactly. It's a whole other set of things that we need to think about when treating a child, including effects on growth. And as part of the long-term toxicity profile. You know, these are kids. We want them to live 90 more years, and they may be dealing with the effects of treatment. For the rest of their lives," she said.'The best day ever': 2-year-old South Bay girl celebrates end of cancer treatment Stanford's team believes the clinic will also make proton therapy more accessible for lower-income families who previously had to travel long distances for treatment. The technology, developed in the Bay Area decades ago, is now returning in a modern, scaled-down form. The Stanford team is still working with the manufacturer on final preparations and expects to begin treating patients as early as this summer.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Madison, Wisconsin job with University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public HealthConsider this exceptional opportunity to provide efficient and effective management of our research enterprise and to have significant impact across one of the top public medical schools in the nation.
Read more »
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Seeks Senior Director of Research OperationsThe University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health is hiring a Senior Director of Research Operations to lead central administrative and operational infrastructure, ensuring compliance, optimizing resource utilization, and facilitating research mission success across departments. The role involves developing policies, streamlining administration, and improving research resource efficiency.
Read more »
Watch: Running phenom adds to her record-breaking streak at Stanford meetWith a blistering final lap at the Stanford Invitational, Jane Hedengren held off last year’s NCAA champion at the distance.
Read more »
Stanford Basketball Hit With Surprise Freshman Departure in Transfer PortalStanford will need to replenish their depth through the portal.
Read more »
William Stanford Davis Reflects On 5 Seasons Of Abbott Elementary & Its Impact On The TV IndustryWilliam Stanford Davis as Mr Johnson in Abbott Elementary
Read more »
Stanford alum Maxime Raynaud shows scoring touch as Kings lean toward youthMaxime Raynaud is starting for Sacramento, is averaging 17 points per game since the beginning of March
Read more »