Seattle Cancer Care Alliance in association with ProCure Treatment Centers Inc. has established a new proton therapy center in north Seattle which is going to provide a first-of-its-kind treatment option for cancer patients throughout the Northwest.

This facility would be spread over 60,000-square-foot area and it would be one of the rare centers in the country which offer proton therapy.

Proton therapy is an advanced treatment and a good alternative to standard X-ray radiation for many types of cancer and some noncancerous tumors. It helps in treating a broad range of tumors, including those of the brain, central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, head and neck, lung and prostate.

The difference between these two types of treatment is that protons can be controlled more precisely than X-rays. In X-ray, the radiation releases substantial doses of energy quickly after penetrating the skin which could be harmful for the healthy tissues and the organ itself.

Norm Hubbard, Executive Vice President said, “Proton therapy has emerged as a compelling treatment for adults and children with cancer and other tumors. Prior to the development of this center, patients would have to travel hundreds of miles to receive this precise, life-saving treatment”.

In addition, he said that the formation of SCCA was done to accelerate the development and evaluation of new therapies for cancer.