IU Health Proton Therapy Center Brings Protons to More Children

Bloomington, IN –The Indiana University Health Proton Therapy Center in Bloomington, Ind., becomes the first proton center in the country to simultaneously treat children under anesthesia in two treatment rooms. Previously, the IU Health Proton Therapy Center could treat one anesthesia case at a time. The increase in the Center's ability to treat additional anesthesia cases makes it possible to deliver this treatment to more children with cancers/tumors of the head, neck, and spine.

The efforts to increase the anesthesia cases would not be possible without the partnership with Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health. "It is unique when world-class organizations work together as we do with Riley Hospital," says Dr. Peter Johnstone, president and chief executive officer of the IU Health Proton Therapy Center and chair and William A. Mitchell professor of radiation oncology for the IU School of Medicine. "Together, we provide an extraordinary resource for the most vulnerable patients: children with cancer." When treating young children with the precision of protons, it is critical that they are immobilized for their treatments and anesthesia is necessary to achieve this level of accuracy. Locally, the anesthesia efforts are provided by Bloomington Anesthesiologists, who are specially trained to work with children. Johnstone adds, "Without their expertise in pediatric anesthesia while under treatment, this work would not be possible."

The IU Health Proton Therapy Center provides treatment for patients of all ages; however, children are at the heart of the practice and accounted for 30 percent of the patient population in 2011. Since opening its doors in February 2004, one in every 12 patients has been treated under anesthesia and that number is anticipated to grow in 2012.

Pediatric Proton Responds to New York Times Opinionator Article

There was an article published in the New York Times yesterday.  You can read it here:

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/02/it-costs-more-but-is-it-worth-more/

The Pediatric Proton Foundation responded as follows:

As the mother of a child that survived paralyzing spinal cancer at the age of 2 in part due to proton therapy, I feel compelled to respond to this article. As you indicate in your article, there is mounting evidence that protons will become the standard of care for cancer treatment for pediatric patients, especially when it comes to brain and spinal tumors. The problem for most parents is accessing proton therapy for their cancer-stricken child. With only 9 centers in the U.S., it often involves a temporary move for the family during the proton treatment which is often cost prohibitive (we traveled over 1,500 miles.)  Sadly, only 465 children received proton therapy in the U.S. in 2010, and as you indicate over 3,500 could have benefited. To solve this problem, we need to have more access for our children through more proton centers. I congratulate Mayo for making this important investment on behalf of all pediatric cancer patients, and I thank you on behalf of my son, now age 6, NED and healthy.

Pediatric Proton Foundation Supports ASTRO's Annual Meeting

The Pediatric Proton Foundation (PPF) was in full force at the Annual Meeting of ASTRO in Miami Beach, from Oct. 1-5, 2011.  Volunteers, Susan Ralston, Executive Director, and Ann-Marie Lewis visited from the headquarters area in Virginia Beach and participated in numerous key meetings with old friends and many new friends.  Susan Ralston states, "the proton community is a small world, indeed, and there are so many great people involved in the science and application, it is inspiring to see collaberation and fellowship in action."  The Pediatric Proton Foundation recently partnered with the National Association for Proton Therapy to release survey results from pediatric patients treated with protons in 2010.  The study is available here.

The Annual Meeting of the PPF was held at the Miami Beach Convention Center on Oct. 3, 2011 in attendance included founders, Dr. Sameer Keole, ProCure - Oklahoma City and Dr. Cynthia Keppel, Hampton University Proton Therapy Center.  Other top notch professional volunteers include proton therapy consultant Dr. Andrew Chang and Dr. Daniel Indelicato of the University of Florida Proton Therapy Center.  Dr. Vivian Porche, from MD Anderson, was unable to attend this year.  New applicants for the board were considered (stay tuned) and other important topics were discussed to include the 2011 Pediatric Proton Therapy Survey. 

Many thanks to the supporters of our foundation.  We are reminded daily about those special children and their parents who are fighting cancer today and every day.  Our mission is clear - we want to see every child that qualifies for proton therapy to get it because it reduces the radiation long term effects to healthy surrounding organs and tissues.  We support more proton centers to be able to serve the need.  We support proton therapy as the standard of care for appropriate cases of pediatric radiation cancer treatment.