"Bringing proton therapy to Utah is completely in keeping with the vision we had when we founded HCI over two decades ago," said Jon M. Huntsman, founder and principal benefactor of HCI. "I remain absolutely committed to ensure that our patients have access the very best equipment and expertise to fight their cancer. Proton therapy is yet another tool we will bring to our patients to give them the best possible outcomes against this dreadful disease."

"Approximately half of all cancer patients receive some type of radiation therapy as a part of their treatment," said John Sweetenham, MD, senior director of clinical affairs at HCI and professor of medicine at the U of U. "We have observed research in the effectiveness of proton therapy over the past several years. After extensive analysis, we determined it was an important investment to make to bring this technology to our patients here in the Mountain West."


HCI leaders anticipate they will initiate a public bidding process to identify an appropriate equipment supplier in the coming weeks. Final project specifications will be subject to approval by institutional and state bodies.

The proposed location for this new technology will be on the south end of the Cancer Hospital at HCI. It is projected to serve approximately 200 patients a year. The center is projected to be operational in fall 2020.

Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah is the official cancer center of Utah. The cancer campus includes a state-of-the-art cancer specialty hospital as well as two buildings dedicated to cancer research. HCI treats patients with all forms of cancer and operates several clinics that focus on patients with a family history of cancer. As the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the Mountain West, HCI serves the largest geographic region in the country, drawing patients from Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. HCI scientists have identified more genes for inherited cancers than any other cancer center in the world, including genes responsible for hereditary breast, ovarian, colon, head, and neck cancers, along with melanoma. HCI manages the Utah Population Database - the largest genetic database in the world, with information on more than 9 million people linked to genealogies, health records, and vital statistics. The institute was founded by Jon M. and Karen Huntsman. Mr. Huntsman is a Utah philanthropist, industrialist, and cancer survivor.

SOURCE Huntsman Cancer Institute

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