Proton Therapy Coming in 2025

The Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network continues to off­er the latest innovations in radiation therapy for people with cancer. In partnership with Legion Healthcare Partners, the health network will acquire proton therapy and, in the first half of 2025, expects to begin treating patients with the technology. Proton therapy supports refined dosing strategies that increase effectiveness and decrease side eff­ects. 

Proton Therapy in Wisconsin

Adding proton therapy, which is not currently available in Wisconsin, will make this highly precise radiation therapy more accessible to adult and pediatric cancer patients who currently travel out of state for treatment.

Benefits of Proton Therapy

Proton therapy deposits most of the radiation dose directly into the tumor while delivering a minimal dose to healthy tissues and organs near the tumor. Unlike traditional photon-based (X-ray beam) radiation, proton particles reach the exact depth of a tumor’s location — and then stop. This results in reduced short- and long-term side e­ffects. Proton-based technology also significantly reduces the risk of developing a second cancer linked to initial radiation therapy. It can be combined with other treatments like chemotherapy and surgery, and if cancer recurs in an area previously treated with radiation, proton therapy o­ffers the potential for more radiation therapy.

“Proton therapy supports our ongoing commitment to develop and off­er world-class, innovative radiation therapy approaches,” said Christopher Schultz, MD, radiation oncologist, MCW faculty member and chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology. “Our mission focuses on expanding access to academic medicine, with the goal of increasing the availability of precision cancer treatment options throughout the region.”

Based on Froedtert Hospital Campus

The proton therapy system will be housed at the Clinical Cancer Center at Froedtert Hospital campus and accessible there to patients treated at any Froedtert & MCW Cancer Network location. The Froedtert & MCW health network will work with Children’s Wisconsin, one of the nation’s top pediatric facilities, to treat pediatric patients with the technology.