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their whole life a head of them, are the patients for whom the application of t h i s t ech nolog y of fer s t he g reat es t adva nta ge," says John Let terio, MD, Division Chief, Pediatric Hematolog y & Oncolog y, U H R a i nbow Babies & Ch i ld ren's Hospit a l . " We w i l l h ave the oppor tunity to a nswer impor ta nt questions regarding the extent to which proton therapy will enhance our capac- ity to preser ve cognitive function and ma intain a higher IQ or better school performance in a ll children receiving this treatment for brain tumors." In a recent st udy of chi ldren w it h bra in tumors treated w ith radiation therapy, unintentiona l radiation doses from traditional radiation therapy were linked to a permanent 10-point drop in IQ. Children treated with proton therapy, however, saw no neurocognitive impact. ongoing research in the application of proton therapy to a variety of di…erent cancer types and stages." He points out that there has been some controversy about the use of proton therapy for prostate ca ncer. "Proton therapy is a pioneering new technology that has significant benefit to certain patient populations. For several indica- tions, it is already widely accepted. For prostate cancer as well as several others, we will learn about the applicability of proton therapy through current and future clinical trials." For those who a re not ca ndidates for proton therapy, Universit y Hospita ls of fers t he mos t comprehen sive a nd a d v a n c e d p h o t on - b a s e d r a d i a t i on oncolog y treatments in a mu lti-state reg ion, including Synerg y-S Hexapod, C y b erk n i fe, a nd Per fex ion G a m m a Knife. And these, a long with University Hospita ls' proton therapy ser vices, a re available not only to UH's own patients but a lso to the patients of other medica l centers within a f ive-state region. This, according to Dr. Levitan, demonstrates Un iversit y Hospit a ls' on goi n g com- m it ment to i mprov i n g t he hea lt h of Nor theast Ohio a nd beyond. " We bel ieve it is i mpor t a nt for us to provide state-of-the-a r t ca re to a ll patients with ca ncer," says Dr. Levita n, "a nd to a ssure that we a re prov iding lea d i n g t ech nolog y a nd i n nov at ion that includes ca rr ying out potentia lly life-cha nging resea rch a nd innovative clinica l tria ls, while providing the best patient experience." UH Seidman Cancer Center, part of the National Cancer Institute designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, is the only freestanding cancer center in Northeast Ohio and is a national leader in cancer research and treatment. The Angie Fowler Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer Institute at UH Rainbow, fully integrated with UH Seidman Cancer Center, is reportedly one of the nation's leading centers for teen and young adult cancer care. For more information about the Proton Therapy Center at University Hospitals, visit UHhospitals.org/Proton or call 216-286-PROT (216-286-7768). ■ University Hospitals is one of the first in the world to install the Mevion S250. This unique single-room system requires only a 40-foot long by 40-foot wide by 40-foot tall space — significantly less than traditional proton therapy systems which are the size of a football field. Yet it is equal in power. Dr. David Mansur is shown here with the gantry-mounted superconducting synchrocyclotron. "The rea l hope," says Dr. Letterio, "is that we can improve the long-term outlook, health and well- being of our survivors of childhood cancer." Proton therapy is also prov i n g benef icia l for certain malignancies in adu lts. " The t wo most critical areas for adults are tumors and other lesions in the brain and spine and, secondarily, in the chest near the heart and lungs," ex pla i n s Dr. Ma cht ay. "These are critical organs to all patients, young and old. By reducing radiation to these organs, we can hopefully not only cure patients of their cancer, but allow them to have the best possible quality of life." T he lo c a t ion of t he Proton Therapy Center on University Hospitals' main campus is another benefit, especially for inpatients, because it eliminates the need to transport them out of town for treatment. "The treatment for can- cer in children is months to years," explains Dr. Letterio, "and can cause a great deal of anxiety and challenge for our youngest patients. Now they can come down to the new UH proton center for their radiation and then immediately return to their hospital room (at UH Rainbow), to the familiar faces of their nurses, physicians and other sta…." ONGOING RESEARCH While the key benefit of proton therapy is to limit the risk for complications related to the unnecessary exposure to radia- tion, research is also comparing clinical outcomes with photon-based therapy. "It is likely we will find that outcomes are improved due to the characteristics of proton therapy that allow the delivery of a higher dose of radiation to the tumor while protecting surrounding tissue," says Dr. Levitan. "There is currently a lot of 0 8 0 8C O V E R S T O R Y