PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Varian (NYSE: VAR) has completed the installation of the cyclotron for its ProBeam® Compact single-room proton therapy system at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine — part of the University of Miami Health System. The cyclotron is a particle accelerator and a significant piece of the equipment in the ProBeam proton therapy system. The Center is scheduled to begin patient treatment in the summer of 2020.
Proton therapy is an advanced form of cancer care. It uses protons, accelerated to about two-thirds the speed of light, or more than 100,000 miles per second, to destroy cancer cells, while minimizing exposure to nearby healthy tissues. The Varian ProBeam Compact system is the only single room system capable of fully rotational intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT). Treatments can be delivered with an unmatched combination of speed, flexibility and cost efficiency.
The full-featured ProBeam Compact system includes the cyclotron, Varian’s unique pencil-beam scanning technology for intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT), a fully rotational gantry, robotic patient positioning tools, and a comprehensive suite of motion management tools. It includes integrated cone beam CT imaging for positioning the patient based on high quality anatomical images with excellent soft tissue resolution.
“We selected Varian as our partner because we wanted a company that understood our mission to reduce the human burden from cancer through research, education, prevention, and the delivery of quality patient care,” said Dr. Stephen D. Nimer, director of Sylvester. “We are excited to bring innovative cancer treatments to patients in our state and region. They will benefit from having access to therapies that provide superior dose distribution, spare healthy surrounding tissue and most importantly, give our patients a better quality of life during and after treatment. With Varian’s help, we are treating cancer more effectively and efficiently.”
“We look forward to continuing this partnership and making this advanced cancer fighting technology available to more patients in Florida,” said Kolleen Kennedy, president, Proton Solutions and chief growth officer, Varian. “This advanced treatment technology has the potential to offer new hope to many cancer patients across the state and the country.”
For more information on ProBeam and its Compact single-room configuration, visit www.varian.com/probeamcompact.
