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Proton centre

What are the benefits of proton therapy?

The main benefit of proton therapy with respect to the current photon therapy is that healthy tissue behind the tumour can be spared as much as possible, reducing the global radiation load in case of treatment with protons.

Proton therapy is beneficial if it meets one of the following conditions:

Lower dose in healthy tissue

The radiation dose in healthy tissue is decreased, while the dose in the tumour remains constant. This can result in fewer (late) side effects and a lower risk of developing a new cancer (a secondary tumour) several years later as a result of the radiation.

Higher dose in the tumour

With proton therapy, the dose in the tumour area can be increased, without equally increasing the dose in the surrounding tissue. This is especially useful for tumours that have a better chance of being cured by administering a higher radiation dose, but for which classic radiotherapy is impossible because the risk for serious side effects (such as blindness) is too big.

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How does it work?

Radiation treatment

Building with proton therapy bricks

1 May 2021
A gigantic radiation machine revolving around you while you're all alone in a medical bunker: a treatment in the Leuven proton therapy centre can be pretty frightening for children. To familiarise them a bit with what will happen in the hospital, a Lego building set was devised.

First patients receive radiation therapy in the Leuven proton therapy centre

16 September 2020
The first patients to receive radiation therapy in the brand new proton therapy centre in Leuven were treated over the summer of 2020. Proton therapy is an innovative form of radiotherapy which targets a tumour very precisely, causing minimal damage to the surrounding tissue.

Registration proton therapy

Last edit: 16 April 2021