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1. About the centre
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2. How does poton therapy work?
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3. Indications for proton therapy
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4. Benefits of proton therapy
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5. Price for proton therapy
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6. How to apply for treatment?
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As of December 2020, there are only 110 proton therapy centers around the world. Most of them are located in the U.S. and Japan – far away countries with rather high treatment and accommodation costs. For people from developing countries, European clinics, which accept foreign patients, will be much more attractive. One of the best in this respect is the University Hospital of Navarra in Madrid. It combines high quality modern technologies and long-term experience of the leading oncologists of Europe.
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About the Proton Therapy Centre at the University Clinic Navarra
The proton therapy department at the University of Navarra, which opened in April 2020 in Madrid, is the most modern in Europe.
The center uses a Hitachi synchrotron. This technology is present only in 32 clinics worldwide. More than 60,000 people have been treated with it. The same equipment is used by leading medical institutions around the world, such as the Mayo Clinic, the Anderson Cancer Center, the Johns Hopkins Clinic, etc.
The Hitachi synchrotron guarantees minimal irradiation time, high precision in tumor destruction, maximum safety and patient comfort. Compared to other technologies, it produces a cleaner beam without residual neutrons that can cause side effects in the patient. Moreover, it accelerates the protons to the speed necessary for each patient’s tumor individually, without requiring artificial filters for the “braking” or degradation process of the beam.
The clinic’s equipment includes a system that automatically adapts the direction of the beam to the patient’s breathing rhythm, making treatment more effective and safer. It also uses a real-time tracking system that can localize and quantify tumor movement and synchronize instantaneous irradiation to achieve minimal impact on healthy tissue.
The Proton Therapy Center occupies 3,600 m2. The unit consists of:
A synchrotron, a machine that accelerates protons to the speed required for treatment;
Two treatment rooms where treatment takes place;
Working areas where treatment planning takes place;
A waiting room for children;
Children’s Intensive Care Unit;
Induction and anesthesia awakening rooms.
In addition, the University of Navarra Cancer Center has a radiotherapy department (conventional radiotherapy, brachytherapy and intraoperative radiotherapy), medical oncology and hematology offices, a central clinical trials unit and a day hospital.
In 2020, the prestigious Newsweek magazine included the University Hospital of Navarra in the top 50 hospitals in the world.
The treatment of cancer patients at the Uniclinic of Navarra is performed by internationally renowned specialists – Dr. Felipe Calvo Manuel, Dr. Javier Aristu Mendióroz, Dr. Elena Panizo Morgado, and others. They specialize in proton radiotherapy for adults and children. The doctors have practiced in the world’s leading centers of expertise.
On a weekly basis, Navarra University Clinics updates safety protocols using the latest scientific data and knowledge of the best international centers with which they collaborate.
SIGN UP FOR PROTON THERAPY
To sign up for proton therapy treatment in Spain, click on the button below and fill out the form. Our coordinators will call you back as soon as possible. They will give you all the information you need and help you organize your trip.
How does proton therapy work?
The main difference between the proton beam and the photon beam is that the radioactive release occurs only near the tumor itself. This makes it safer for the body, since the healthy tissue through which the beam passes does not receive a dose of radiation. As a consequence, the patient deals with fewer side effects than with radiotherapy.
“Proton therapy is the most precise form of external beam therapy. It protects healthy tissue as much as possible and does not expose it to unnecessary radiation.”
Dr. Felipe Calvo Manuel, co-director of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University Hospital of Navarra.
Proton therapy can be used in combination with chemotherapy, as an adjunct to surgery, and in combination with standard radiotherapy to irradiate tumors that are poorly treated.
Proton therapy is primarily indicated for the treatment of hard-to-reach tumors or those located near vital organs – heart, brain, etc.
The duration of the proton therapy sessions is approximately 35 minutes. Most of the time is used for patient positioning, and equipment calibration. The irradiation itself lasts less than a minute.
The number of sessions depends on each case and the characteristics of the tumor, such as its location, type or size. On average, patients need between 20 and 30 sessions.
Patients who are claustrophobic or children can undergo the procedure under anesthesia.
Who is eligible for proton therapy?
Proton therapy is most effective in the local treatment of cancer, especially such tumors that have not spread to other areas of the body. When metastases are present, proton therapy can also be used, but it depends on additional factors – the number of metastases and the presence of concomitant syndromes such as recurrent disease.
Proton therapy is also recommended in the treatment of childhood cancer because it is the safest by today’s standards and avoids long-term side effects.
The University Hospital of Navarra estimates that 15% of patients indicated for radiotherapy are suitable candidates for proton therapy.
The Spanish Society for Radiation Oncology (SEOR) recommends proton therapy in the following cases:
Tumors near or at the base of the skull, including chondromas and chondrosarcomas.
Primary or metastatic tumors of the central nervous system and spinal cord.
Tumors of the eye, such as melanoma of the eye, etc.
Tumors in children.
Patients with genetic syndromes with high risk of toxicity.
When repeated irradiation is performed.
In addition, the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) recommends proton therapy for:
Head and neck cancer stages 1-3 with resection.
Chest malignancies, including non-metastatic primary lung, esophageal, and mediastinal lymphomas.
Abdominal malignancies, including primary non-metastatic pancreatic, biliary, and adrenal cancers.
Pelvic neoplasms, including non-metastatic cancer of the rectum, anus, bladder, and cervix.
Nonmetastatic cancer of the prostate.
Breast cancer.
SIGN UP FOR PROTON THERAPY
To sign up for proton therapy treatment in Spain, click on the button below and fill out the form. Our coordinators will call you back as soon as possible. They will give you all the information you need and help you organize your trip.
What are the benefits of proton therapy in the treatment of cancer?
Precise treatment of the tumor with minimal damage to adjacent tissues.
Ability to provide the optimal dose to irradiate the tumor.
Reduced likelihood of long-term side effects.
Reduced likelihood of secondary tumors.
Can be used to treat recurrent tumors, even in patients who have already received radiation.
Improves quality of life during and after treatment.
Increases long-term survival of patients with certain types of tumors.
What are the side effects of proton therapy?
Compared to radiation therapy, patients experience fewer and milder side effects with proton therapy. The side effects depend on the interaction of the beam with the tissues and the overall condition of the patient. The expected toxicity of proton therapy is individual and very predictable. Each patient is informed in detail by their physician about what side effects can be expected before starting treatment.
How much does proton therapy at the University Hospital of Navarra cost?
The University Hospital of Navarra offers the lowest price in Spain for proton therapy. Compared with the same device in the U.S., the treatment here is 50-70% cheaper.
| Procedure | Cost |
|---|---|
| Proton therapy | from €55,000 |
How do I get to treatment at the Navarra Proton Therapy Center in Spain?
In order to be treated at the Navarra Proton Therapy Center in Spain, you need to contact the international medical tourism platform MediGlobus. After clicking on the “Get a free consultation” button, a form will open on the website where you can leave your contact information, diagnosis, examination results. You can also contact us via Viber or Facebook Messenger.
Once our coordinating physicians have processed the request, they will call you back at the phone number you left. We will answer any questions you may have about treatment abroad.
MediGlobus will send the results of the examinations to the University Hospital of Navarra, where the cancer board will assess whether the patient is a suitable candidate for proton therapy.
If the clinic agrees to accept the patient, we will provide assistance in organizing treatment abroad:
Registration of all necessary documentation;
Visa opening;
Flight arrangements;
Reservations for accommodation close to the clinic;
Arranging airport/clinic/airport transfers;
Provision of a personal accompanying interpreter;
Online consultations and solving any problems 24/7.
Resume
In April 2020, the University Hospital of Navarra opened the Proton Therapy Center in Madrid.
The center uses a Hitachi synchrotron, the same one used in the world’s leading cancer centers. It guarantees a more precise and “cleaner” beam, and is able to adapt to the patient’s breathing and tumor movement.
The proton therapy center at the University Hospital of Navarra accepts both children and adults.
Proton therapy is primarily recommended for the treatment of tumors located near radiosensitive organs, as well as for the treatment of children.
The advantages of proton therapy over conventional radiation therapy are greater accuracy, fewer side effects, lower risk of a second cancer, and better quality of life for patients.
The cost of treatment at the Uniclinica Navarra proton therapy center starts at €55,000.
Proton therapy is an advanced cancer treatment not available in most countries of the world. MediGlobus will help you get into treatment at the University Hospital of Navarra in Madrid. To do this, click on “Get a free consultation” and fill out the form.
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