Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/50993
inside the new procure proton Th W ith a pain-free procedure, few side effects, and an impressive track record, proton therapy is a well-documented technology in the arsenal against many cancers. But finding skilled proton experts and facilities nearby had been difficult to impossible— until now. Princeton Radiation Oncology, ProCure Treatment Centers, and CentraState Healthcare System have teamed up to establish the first Proton Therapy Center in the New York/New Jersey region. The 60,000-square-foot center, located on Cedar Grove Lane in Somerset, will be one of only 10 centers in the United States offering the advanced cancer treatment. With an expected opening in spring 2012, the state- of-the-art center will give cancer patients—both around and outside the region—a powerful tool against their disease. The new state-of-the-art ProCure Proton Therapy Center is located in Somerset, NJ. Brian Chon, MD, board-certified radiation oncologist with Princeton Radiation Oncology and on staff at CentraState, will serve as the medical director of the ProCure Proton Therapy Center. "Our vision was to bring this amazing technology to our backyard," says Brian Chon, MD, board-certified radiation oncologist with Princeton Radiation Oncology and on staff at CentraState. The Harvard Medical School trained physician, who has practiced radiation oncology for 10 years, will serve as medical director of the new center. Proton therapy has been scientifically proven to reduce the radiation exposure by over half to surrounding tissues and organs compared with standard X-ray therapy. "Proton beam radiation targets just the tumor, minimizing radiation to healthy tissues compared to standard X-rays," Dr. Chon says. "That precision is what makes proton therapy so unique. Protons have been used to treat both children and adult brain, head and neck, prostate, central nervous system, and lung cancers." 6 January/February 2012 Healthy Directions