Cancer treatment and research center to open in Cincinnati
A new proton research and cancer treatment center is opening in southern Ohio this month, a facility that will provide cutting-edge cancer therapies to children and adults.
Housed at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center’s Liberty Campus, the $120 million center is slated to begin treating patients in September.
Proton therapy is a form of radiation treatment that uses a beam of protons to precisely blast diseased tissue. It extracts positively charged protons from hydrogen gas and accelerates them to nearly two-thirds the speed of light. They are then guided to the tumor site by magnetic and electrical fields, carrying enough charge to pinpoint a tumor.
Proton therapy best treats Hodgkin lymphoma, pediatric brain tumors, soft tissue sarcomas and neuroblastoma.
Research will be completed at the center in partnership with UC Medical Center, the University of Cincinnati Physicians, the UC College of Medicine and Varian, a proton equipment manufacturer.
"This important investment will transform cancer care for children and adults and generate a new wave of discovery," said Michael Fisher, president and CEO at Cincinnati Children's, in a statement. "Proton is advanced cancer therapy. I am pleased it is now available to our pediatric patients with the most challenging types of cancer, underscoring our deep commitment to always provide the safest and most effective treatment options."
Senior Writer
As a Senior Writer for TriMed Media Group, Katherine primarily focuses on producing news stories, Q&As and features for Cardiovascular Business. She reports on several facets of the cardiology industry, including emerging technology, new clinical trials and findings, and quality initiatives among providers. She is based out of TriMed's Chicago office and holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Columbia College Chicago. Her work has appeared in Modern Healthcare, Crain's Chicago Business and The Detroit News. She joined TriMed in 2016.