An anonymous donor has made a $50 million gift to Duke University Health System toward the development of a proton beam therapy center.
The donation is the largest philanthropic gift received by Duke University Health System.
“This is a historic gift, both for Duke and for the state of North Carolina,” said Vincent E. Price, PhD, president of Duke University. “The Duke Proton Center will have a profound impact on cancer care in our region, and we are very grateful for the generous donor support that is making these advances possible.”
Duke’s proton beam therapy facility is expected to open by 2029, with a total projected cost of $120 million. At capacity, it is projected to provide proton therapy to about 800 patients each year.
“The addition of proton therapy to our clinical capabilities will make a huge difference in the lives of cancer patients across the region,” said Craig Albanese, M.D., chief executive officer of Duke University Health System.
Proton therapy is a more precise type of radiation that has fewer side effects than conventional radiation therapy.
Because it is more precise, it can be better directed and controlled so that the bulk of radiation is delivered to the tumor, sparing healthy tissue. This is especially important for children and for tumors located in sensitive areas such as the head and neck.
"We are so appreciative of this gift to launch a proton beam therapy center at Duke," said Gerald Grant, MD, pediatric neurosurgeon and chair of the Duke Department of Neurosurgery. "The precision and innovation of this therapy will have great impact for the children and young adult brain tumor patients we treat."
“We want to reduce treatment side effects as much as possible to improve our patients’ quality of life and function,” said Chris Willett, M.D., chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology. “For brain tumor patients, that means reducing toxicity that damages cognition and in breast cancer patients that means limiting damage to heart function.”
Proton therapy is also an active area of cutting-edge research that builds on Duke’s expertise in medical physics and oncology.
“Research and clinical trials with proton therapy will drive innovations in cancer treatment and enhance Duke’s impact across multiple missions, including clinical care, research, and education,” said Mary E. Klotman, MD, executive vice president for health affairs at Duke University and dean of Duke University School of Medicine.
In adults, proton therapy is the preferred treatment for complicated head and neck malignancies, large base of skull tumors, esophageal cancer, localized recurrent cancer, and certain ocular tumors and is becoming the standard for adult patients with low-grade gliomas and meningiomas, and breast, GI, and prostate cancers.
“Proton therapy is increasingly becoming the treatment of choice for a variety of different cancers,” said Michael Kastan, MD, PhD, executive director of Duke Cancer Institute. “Having proton therapy at Duke will enable us to push those boundaries even further, improving current applications and developing new ones through innovative clinical trials.”