Mevion Medical Systems has announced the delivery of its Mevion S250 proton therapy superconducting synchrocyclotron accelerator to the world’s first physician-owned proton therapy center at First Coast Oncology in Jacksonville, Florida.
The Mevion S250 proton therapy system is a unique proton therapy platform — a single-room, gantry-mounted proton accelerator that frees hospitals and private treatment facilities from the astronomical costs, prohibitive space requirements and cumbersome processes that to date have defined this effective treatment modality.
Proton therapy benefits are defined by the ability to precisely deliver radiation doses to a tumor while greatly limiting unnecessary radiation to healthy tissues, and thus potentially improving patient outcomes and reducing associated side effects.
Mevion Medical Systems CEO Joseph Jachinowski noted this is the first installation of a proton therapy system at a physician-owned cancer center and is another very significant achievement by Mevion that is changing the face of proton therapy.
"The idea of a freestanding cancer center with it’s own proton therapy unit was unthinkable until now. The MEVION S250 advanced technology and flexible business model is truly expanding the accessibility and feasibility of proton therapy to every cancer center," Jachinowski added.
After a four-day journey from Mevion’s headquarters outside Boston, the first-of-its-kind accelerator was delivered and mounted onto its rotating gantry the same day. Mevion’s experienced installation team will complete the installation and move into acceptance testing and commission of the system this year.
The Mevion S250 is also installed at the Kling Proton Therapy Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, and is treating pediatric patients and other cancer patients where proton therapy treatment is indicated.
Four additional Mevion S250 proton therapy systems are under installation at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.; Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City; University of Florida Health Cancer Center at Orlando Health; and University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland, Ohio.