Manchester hospital to receive proton beam therapy machine

A hospital in Manchester is set to receive the NHS’ first proton beam therapy (PBT) machine to treat cancer patients.

The Christie hospital in Manchester will be the first NHS institute to deliver PBT, a treatment which patients could previously only receive abroad.

The cyclotron machine weighs 90-tonne and delivers radiotherapy which can target cancer cells more precisely. PBT uses high-energy protons rather than X-rays to deliver radiotherapy, reducing the risk of damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

The new unit is set to open in 2018 and aims to treat up to 750 patients a year.

PBT centres have opened up around the UK as private clinics. The Rutherford Cancer Centre in South Wales began installing its PBT machine earlier this year.

The centre is being built by Proton Partners International and the company is developing several other centres across the country.

Professor Gordon McVie, chairman of Proton Partners International, said: “This is a milestone for cancer treatment in the UK. We are committed to transforming cancer care and that is why we are installing the most advanced proton therapy technology available.

“Around 10% of cancer patients will benefit from proton beam therapy by having significantly less long-term side effects. The availability of this treatment in the UK will mean over time that patients will no longer have to endure travelling abroad for treatment, which is the case at present.”

The installation of a PBT machine at a NHS hospital means that cancer patients will have improved access to potentially life-saving treatment.