MILWAUKEE (March 7, 2024) – Today, the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Health Network celebrated a milestone of bringing proton therapy to Wisconsin by raising the final beam atop its proton therapy clinic. This is in preparation for the 2025 installation of the MEVION S250i Proton Therapy System® at the Froedtert & MCW Clinical Cancer Center on the Froedtert Hospital campus.
Proton therapy delivers a precisely targeted dose of radiation directly to a cancer tumor using high-energy beams of proton particles rather than x-rays. It is currently not available in Wisconsin.
“Today, cancer patients go out of state to receive proton therapy. We’re looking forward to easing the burden by making this advanced treatment accessible without the need to travel far from home,” said Christopher Schultz, MD, FACR, Medical College of Wisconsin Professor and Chairman of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Clinical Cancer Center. “Bringing proton therapy to Wisconsin embodies the ongoing commitment of Froedtert & MCW Cancer network’s leadership in radiation oncology patient care and clinical research.”
Proton therapy is an advanced form of radiation therapy that better targets radiation doses to cancerous cells with less exposure to healthy tissues. Protons are directed precisely at the tumor, where the beam penetrates the tumor and stops, rather than exiting through healthy tissues as conventional radiation does. This approach helps prevent complications and secondary cancers and can be used with patients who have previously had radiation therapy.
“We are proud to mark this significant milestone alongside the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network as we prepare to bring state-of-the-art proton therapy to Wisconsin,” said Curt Kienast, Chief Operating Officer of Mevion Medical Systems. “By installing the MEVION S250i Proton Therapy System, we are not only advancing cancer care but also ensuring that patients in Wisconsin have access to the latest advancements in radiation therapy without the need to travel far from home. This underscores our commitment to making advanced treatments like proton therapy accessible and emphasizes our dedication to improving patient outcomes.”
The Froedtert & MCW health network will offer proton therapy to adults, and in collaboration with Children’s Wisconsin, one of the nation’s top pediatric facilities, to treat pediatric patients.
The Froedtert & MCW health network is partnering with Legion Healthcare Partners to bring the MEVION S250i Proton Therapy System® to Wisconsin and aid the health network’s plan to provide technologically evolved proton therapy for cancer patients who require radiation therapy.
Mortenson Construction is building the proton clinic. HGA is the architectural firm leading design of the clinic’s interiors.
To learn more about the Froedtert & MCW Cancer Network, visit froedtert.com/cancer. The Cancer Network has six locations — anchored by the power and unparalleled resources of eastern Wisconsin’s only academic medical center.
