VOORHEES, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — Proton therapy, the cutting edge of cancer treatment, is now available in South Jersey, saving patients and their loved ones a trip over the bridge. Penn Medicine and Virtua Health’s new proton therapy machine saw its first patient in Voorhees on Tuesday.
Dr. Katherine Kim, Virtua medical director, says the massive machine is the newest and best out there to attack cancer cells.
“It has a very different dose profile. It’s able to deliver radiation to a patient’s cancer tumor more precisely than our photon radiation,” she said. “It actually enters the body at a low dose and is able to deposit all of its dose at depth in the body at the tumor site with no exit dose behind it.”
“More precisely” means there’s less collateral damage when targeting tumors in the brain, spine and other very sensitive areas.
The Penn Medicine/Virtua Health Proton Therapy Center, a new $45 million addition, was built to house the 90-ton cyclotron, a device that accelerates protons to two-thirds the speed of light. Kim said that’s the price you pay for precision — and precision is key when treating brain cancer.
“Our focus is not just improving survival but also improving their quality of life as well during the days and weeks and months after treatment is finished.”
One of the first patients to use it is Deb Harris, who has stage-four brain cancer and has been going to Penn Medicine’s proton therapy center in Philadelphia five days a week. She says it’s great that this will be closer to home.
“It is physically and emotionally taxing. It does require a commitment and depending on the individual, there are side effects,” she said.
“It brings me great joy to know that my South Jersey neighbors will have an easier, more accessible option, should they need similar care."
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