IU Health Proton Therapy Center

• Refer A Patient
• Request An Appointment
• Discover Our Capabilities

An affiliate of Indiana University Health Neuroscience, the Indiana University Health Proton Therapy Center in Bloomington, Indiana, is the first facility in the Midwest and the only one in Indiana to specialize in proton therapy—an ultra-precise, non-surgical option for treating benign and cancerous tumors. The accuracy of the proton beam enables our physicians to treat inoperable tumors, as well as areas that have already been treated with radiation. This precision provides many advantages. For example, when treating tumors near other delicate areas—such as the optic nerve, spinal cord and brainstem—it spares healthy tissue and can lead to a higher cure rate for localized cancers. Proton therapy can be used in conjunction with other treatments offered at IU Health Neuroscience.

HOW DOES PROTON THERAPY WORK?

Proton therapy is neither new, nor experimental. In fact, oncologists have been using proton therapy to treat cancer since the 1950s. Proton beams are more precise than traditional X-ray beams, meaning doctors can deliver very high doses of radiation to a tumor without damaging nearby organs or tissue.

WHAT DOES PROTON THERAPY TREAT?

Proton therapy is used to treat a wide range of cancers. It can be used alone, or in conjunction with other treatment options offered at IU Health Neuroscience. Because proton therapy is so precise, it is an excellent treatment option for cancers of the head and neck, brain, spine and prostate.

Proton therapy can be highly effective in children because it spares their growing bodies from damaging radiation. Children treated with proton therapy are much less likely to experience long-term health complications than children who undergo conventional radiation treatment.