DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Delray Medical Center is offering a new way to fight cancer. The South Florida Proton Therapy Institute installed the Cyclotron, a 400,000 pound machine. The Cyclotron uses protons to attack tumors.
Delray Medical is one of five centers in Florida with that type of treatment, but their installment is the latest technology.
Patient Brian Browne said doctors diagnosed him with prostate cancer earlier this year. He said he was doing research and wanted to explore proton therapy as an option.
Browne said he was happy to find Delray Medical was installing the Cyclotron. “They had the latest and best and most accurate equipment here," he said.
Browne said he drives down from Vero Beach every day and was happy to find a local location.
Medical director Tim Williams said the Cyclotron offers less damage to surrounding tissues. “It is the perfect treatment for children that have cancer, it is also great for brain tumors,” said Williams.
He even adds the side effects of proton therapy don’t exist. “The main thing from a patient standpoint is it eliminates side effects, so you can treat the target volume and kill the cancer," he said.
Browne said despite his diagnosis, he feel positive about his treatment. “No one wants cancer, but given that I have it, I am very excited by this treatment."
Williams said they have dozens of patients on a wait list for proton therapy. The Cyclotron can offer treatment options on different size tumors and different types of cancer.