Varian Installs Cyclotron for ProBeam Proton Therapy System at Guangzhou Concord Cancer Center | Varian

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Varian Installs Cyclotron for ProBeam Proton Therapy System at Guangzhou Concord Cancer Center

Varian announced the installation of the cyclotron for its ProBeam® proton therapy system at the Guangzhou Concord Cancer Center. As a core piece of the system, the accelerator weighs 90 tons. Its installation marks a key milestone for the new proton therapy center.

Proton therapy is an advanced form of cancer care that 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. Proton therapy is a highly effective treatment for a wide range of localized tumors of the brain, eye, head and neck, and especially preferable for children. 

Established by Concord Medical Services Holdings Limited (NYSE: CCM) in cooperation with the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou Concord Cancer Center is a comprehensive cancer hospital, which features four proton therapy treatment rooms with full 360-degree rotational gantries. Once completed, it will be one of the leading cancer centers equipped with proton therapy in the Guangdong province, providing advanced cancer care for patients in southern China.

"We aim to provide quality cancer care services to Chinese patients," said Dr. Jianyu Yang, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Concord Medical. "I am pleased to see that, after years of efforts, we have started the installation of the proton therapy system. The cyclotron installation is an important milestone in the overall strategic development of Concord Medical."

"As a leader in developing and providing radiotherapy solutions, we are continuing investments to advance proton therapy technology,” said Kolleen Kennedy, president, Proton Solutions and chief growth officer at Varian. "We are very proud that the team overcame uncertainties in the COVID-19 pandemic and successfully completed the cyclotron installation. We are looking forward to providing advanced proton therapy to patients in the region, and it moves us closer to a world without fear of cancer."

The ProBeam system is the first to offer fully integrated intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT), which consists of a superconducting cyclotron, 360-degree gantry and high-speed pencil-beam scanning technology. It enables an efficient adaptive workflow. Currently 29 leading proton centers have selected the Varian solution; 13 of the centers are in clinical operation and have delivered treatments for more than 15,000 patients.