Advocate Radiation Oncology to establish first proton therapy center on Florida’s west coast

Innovative radiation treatment reduces side effects, improves quality of life for cancer patients

Advocate Radiation Oncology is bringing revolutionary treatment in the fight against cancer closer to home by establishing the first proton therapy center along Florida’s west coast.

Advocate Radiation Oncology, in conjunction with its affiliate Southwest Florida Proton, selected IBA’s (Ion Beam Applications S.A., EURONEXT) Proteus®ONE compact proton therapy solution for its new state-of-the-art proton therapy center. The site will serve the greater population of Southwest Florida in a centralized location between Lee and Collier County.

“Advocate Radiation Oncology is honored to bring proton therapy to Florida’s west coast giving cancer patients improved access to the most advanced radiation care available,” said Dr. Arie Dosoretz, the managing partner at Advocate Radiation Oncology. “I’m especially proud to bring world-class cancer care to my hometown. Given their size, complexity, and cost, there are a limited number of proton therapy centers around the country. Patients seeking proton therapy must often travel across the state, or in some cases, across the country, to receive this type of treatment. Not only does this enhance access to proton therapy, it greatly improves the quality of life for patients and their families when they can receive innovative care close to home.”

An advanced form of radiation that uses proton beams to target tumors and cancer cells more precisely, proton therapy has proven effective for the treatment of many common cancers. Proton therapy uniquely spares significant dose to normal tissue, while delivering powerful treatment to areas of disease. This leads to improved outcomes in combination with reduced toxicity and side effects in patients.

“IBA’s solution includes Pencil Beam Scanning, which allows our physicians to design uniquely customized treatment delivery plans for each patient that minimize radiation exposure to healthy tissue,” said Dosoretz. “We are excited to combine this technology with our elite physicians who have trained at the nation’s top cancer centers. The patients of Southwest Florida deserve every option in their fight against cancer.”

Advocate Radiation Oncology is directed by a team of expert board-certified radiation oncologists and has several convenient locations across South Florida.