Proton therapy, touted as cancer killer without side effects, set for Israel debut
Proton therapy for cancer treatment has arrived in Israel and the Middle East with a clinical trial underway that sees Hadassah Medical Center partnering with P-Cure, an Israeli company that has developed a unique system designed to fit into existing hospital settings. Hadassah Medical Center partners with Israeli company P-Cure in study comparing treatment with traditional X-ray radiation; Ichilov inks deal for first proton therapy center.
The Advantage of Proton Beam Technology
As its name suggests, proton therapy uses a proton beam rather than conventional X-rays (photons) in radiation therapy. The advantage of the proton beam is that it is more precise and less toxic to surrounding healthy tissues. Reducing or eliminating the debilitating side effects of radiation is a key issue. In contrast, proton therapy delivers a beam of particles that stops at the tumor and doesn’t affect nearby healthy tissues.
Comparing the methods, P-Cure founder and CEO Dr. Michael Marash explained that: “Photon X-ray radiation most damages the tissues right as it enters the body, and then the beam continues hitting the tissue all the way through. The maximum damage occurs initially, and then the beam gets to the tumor. Then it continues damaging the tissues behind.” He added that: “at the end of the day, the whole body gets the radiation and that’s not safe.”
Comparison of Radiation Methods
| Feature | Conventional X-ray (Photons) | Proton Therapy |
|---|---|---|
| Precision | Hits tissue all the way through the body | More precise; stops at the tumor |
| Healthy Tissue Impact | Damages tissues right as it enters and behind the tumor | Less toxic to surrounding healthy tissues |
| Side Effects | Debilitating side effects are common | Much less likely to suffer severe side effects |
Clinical Implementation and Future Infrastructure
Begun a month ago, the trial’s first stage is for patients with brain, head and neck cancers that have been previously irradiated but have now recurred. Patients with other types of cancer are to be included later on. Regarding scientific evidence, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2020 showed that patients treated with proton therapy were much less likely to suffer severe side effects. However, there was no difference in how long the patients lived.
Furthermore, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center – Ichilov Hospital was set to sign an agreement with Medtechnica, the Israeli partner of IBA, a Belgian company that is building the largest and most advanced medical proton accelerator machine in the world. Dr. Natan Shtraus, chief of medical physics at Ichilov, noted: “The Health Ministry has granted us the only license to operate a national proton therapy center. We were deemed to be the best fit and we have begun building a designated building.” This building will house two treatment rooms, each with a machine, and should be completed in three to four years.
Some in the medical community have argued that the jury is still out on whether proton therapy is truly the superior option and worth the expense until phase 3 randomized clinical trials are conducted. Proton radiation therapy for cancer treatment has existed since the mid-1950s but was rarely employed, only coming more into use beginning a couple of decades ago.