First proton therapy center in the state achieves milestone with unprecedented speed, rapidly becoming one of the world’s busiest proton centers despite COVID-19

97 percent of NYPC patients enrolled in clinical trials advancing proton radiation therapy

New York, NY, March 16, 2021 — Today, the New York Proton Center (NYPC)—the New York City-based cancer radiation facility led by a consortium of providers including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), Montefiore Health System and Mount Sinai Health System—announced the treatment of its 1,000th patient since opening its doors in August 2019.

Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, NYPC has achieved this milestone faster than any other proton center in the United States, responding to the strong demand among New Yorkers and patients around the world for this innovative form of radiotherapy that can reduce side effects, better preserve quality of life, and improve survival.

The $300 million, 140,000-square-foot center, sponsored in part by the NYC Economic Development Corporation, has proven a noteworthy success story in healthcare-focused development at a time when the City is aiming to make such projects a cornerstone of its infrastructure-led economic recovery.

The center’s 1000th patient is Pamela Armour from Suffern, New York. Ms. Armour is undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Compared to conventional radiation treatment, proton therapy delivers approximately 50 percent less radiation to the lungs and almost no radiation to the heart, greatly reducing the risks of short- and long-term side effects. Specifically for Ms. Armour, her tumor recurred after prior traditional radiation therapy, and proton therapy was her only safe chance at cure.

1,000 Patients Demographics

Approximately 75 percent of the center’s patients have come from New York, 14 percent from New Jersey and Connecticut, and others from 27 states outside the tri-state area. Prior to the pandemic, international patients came to NYPC from around the world seeking treatment at one of the only institutions equipped with leading-edge ‘next generation’ proton beam technology and clinical expertise from the foremost experts in proton therapy.

As a result of its partnership with three renowned academic medical centers, NYPC treats not only one of the largest but also the most complex mix of patient cases. The center treats dozens of different types of cancers—especially tumors located near critical organs like the brain, heart and lungs.

Two of the most common conditions treated at NYPC are head and neck cancers (38 percent) and cancers of the central nervous system (19 percent), followed by patients with pediatric, lung, breast, gastrointestinal, and prostate cancers. Also commonly treated at the proton center are re-irradiation patients (41 percent) who have received radiation elsewhere and come to NYPC seeking what is often their only potential chance of cure.

Radiation Oncology Research Program

The center’s rise in patient volume is simultaneous with its development of one of the largest proton therapy research programs in the world. 97 percent of all patients who come to the proton center are participants in trials assessing the efficacy of proton therapy for a range of conditions like breast and lung cancer.

NYPC is also involved in several national phase III randomized studies comparing the efficacy of proton therapy to traditional radiation therapy.

“In only 19 months, the New York Proton Center has conducted industry-leading research, furthering the evidence that proton therapy is the most optimal treatment for a variety of patients and cancer types, and treated an astounding 1,000 patients,” said Dr. Charles Simone, FACRO, Chief Medical Officer of the New York Proton Center. “While we take this moment to reflect on our work over the past year-and-a-half, our focus remains on achieving unprecedented clinical outcomes and providing compassionate care for patients and their families, and we look forward to helping even more people as proton therapy grows to become an industry standard.”

“Despite a pandemic that has strained providers across the country, NYPC has maintained steady growth and responded to a strong demand for the highly advanced treatment that we provide,” said Jonathan Weinbach, CEO of the New York Proton Center. “I could not be prouder of our staff who have persevered through challenging conditions to help us reach this milestone with unprecedented speed. I congratulate Ms. Armour on her treatment and look forward to serving many more patients like her as we continue to advance this important, life-changing treatment.”

“I am so appreciative of the wonderful staff and health care professionals at NYPC. The team here makes a difficult experience better through the great care they show for their patients, said Pamela Armour, the New York Proton Center’s 1,000th patient. “I highly recommend proton therapy to any of my loved ones who need care. New Yorkers are lucky to have this center.”

“I congratulate all the faculty and staff of the New York Proton Center on an impressive achievement that is a powerful testament to their dedication, as well as the consortium model of operation, which brings highly specialized providers together to deliver the very best care for high-need patients,” said Dr. Simon Powell, Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

“NYPC has proven to be an invaluable resource for our patients in the Bronx and Westchester. By bringing our academic health systems together, we are ensuring patients are being introduced to the latest cancer care technologies and are receiving the highest standards of clinical care. The Center, like all of us, has also navigated the COVID-19 pandemic with admirable dexterity, delivering safe care to our highly vulnerable cancer population. We are thrilled with its success,” said Dr. Shalom Kalnicki, FACRO, professor and chair, Radiation Oncology, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

“Especially in the face of all we’ve endured this past year, today is a moment to celebrate this institution and the many lives it has improved through its care. Less than two years ago, we celebrated the launch of New York’s first state-of-the-art proton center; it is gratifying to see NYPC fulfilling the role we all imagined for it—to provide cutting-edge therapy for New Yorkers and others who come to us for care and advance the evidence base for this critical treatment,” said Dr. Kenneth Rosenzweig, Chair of Radiation Oncology at Mount Sinai.

About the New York Proton Center

The New York Proton Center is creating the gold standard for proton therapy, giving new hope to patients living with cancer. In partnership with leading academic medical centers—Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Montefiore Health System, and Mount Sinai Health System—the New York Proton Center brings together expert oncologists, clinical care teams, and researchers to improve cancer care and advance the clinical evidence for proton therapy.

For additional information, please visit www.nyproton.com.

Warrenville, IL, February 11, 2021 — Today, the Proton Collaborative Group (PCG), the largest research consortium for proton therapy in the world, announced that Dr. Charles B. Simone, II, Chief Medical Officer of the New York Proton Center (NYPC), has been elected to serve as the group’s next President of the Board of Directors.

The PCG comprises radiation oncologists and clinical researchers from 17 member institutions, including the New York Proton Center, Mayo Clinic, Northwestern Medicine Proton Center, Miami Cancer Institute, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Proton Center, and others.

Dr. Simone will helm the group’s efforts to develop new research protocols and enhance collaboration across multiple treatment centers to facilitate the development of practice-advancing clinical evidence for proton therapy. He takes over as President at a time when PCG is imminently expanding by several additional member institutions and also finalizing collaborations with two other proton consortiums to lead a singular national research registry encompassing patient data from nearly all proton centers throughout the United States.

“COVID-19 has necessarily forced all cancer providers to focus on adapting to care delivery amid an ongoing public health crisis, but despite these challenges, we cannot lose sight of the longer-term imperative to drive treatment innovation,” said Dr. Charles Simone, Chief Medical Officer of the New York Proton Center and President of the Proton Collaborative Group. “The Proton Collaborative Group is the leading consortium for investigating and advancing this highly effective radiotherapy modality, and the consortium has already authored dozens of impactful articles supporting the use of proton therapy. I am proud to lead PCG during this exciting time of its expansion and to work with my peers across the country to further the evidence for proton therapy.”

“With experience leading three nationally recognized proton centers, Dr. Simone brings invaluable insights to his leadership of the Proton Collaborative Group,” said Dr. William Hartsell, former PCG President and Medical Director of Northwestern Medicine Proton Center. “He will be an excellent steward of the mission of this consortium to further the research and practice of proton therapy.”

“This is a crucial moment for advancing the science and clinical applications of proton therapy, with numerous national trials underway and an increase in data collection from centers across the country that is having a profound impact on research. Dr. Simone has been a highly valued member of our team for several years, and we could not ask for a more qualified leader to guide PCG at this time,” said Jillian Plochocki-Smallwood, Executive Director of the Proton Collaborative Group.

Dr. Simone is an internationally recognized expert in the use of proton therapy to treat thoracic malignancies and for reirradiation, and in the development of clinical trial strategies and innovative research in thoracic radiation oncology and stereotactic body radiation therapy. In addition to his role as Chief Medical Officer of NYPC, the New York City-based proton therapy facility operated in partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Montefiore Health System and Mount Sinai Health System, Dr. Simone is a Full Member in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

In addition to his new position as President, Dr. Simone will continue to serve as Chair of the PCG Lung Committee, a position he has held since 2014.  He has also served as Chair of the PCG Executive Council since 2016, a position in which he has overseen all eight prospective multi-center national proton therapy trials currently enrolling across PCG institutions. A transition plan is in place for that Chair position.

About the Proton Collaborative Group

Founded in 2009 by a group of radiation oncologists whose primary mission was to improve the survival outcomes of cancer patients and the quality of life for affected individuals, PCG is the largest research consortium for proton therapy in the world. Today, PCG is comprised of 17 member institutions from across the United States collaborating to develop new research protocols and sharing those results across multiple treatment centers would best serve their mission.

For additional information, please visit www.pcgresearch.com.

About the New York Proton Center

The New York Proton Center is creating the gold standard for proton therapy, giving new hope to patients living with cancer. In partnership with leading academic medical centers—Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Montefiore Health System, and Mount Sinai Health System—the New York Proton Center brings together expert oncologists, clinical care teams, and researchers to improve cancer care and advance the clinical evidence for proton therapy.

For additional information, please visit www.nyproton.com.

A key figure in navigating NYPC through the COVID crisis, former CFO Jonathan Weinbach will steer the innovative proton radiation facility into a new era, building upon the rapid growth in its first 18 months of operation

Operated by a consortium of NYC providers including MSK, Montefiore and Mt. Sinai, NYPC has quickly become one of the busiest proton centers in the United States

New York, NY, January 12, 2021 — Today the New York Proton Center (NYPC), the New York City-based proton therapy facility operated in partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Montefiore Health System and Mount Sinai Health System, announced that longtime health care executive Jonathan Weinbach has been appointed CEO.

As the center’s former CFO and an integral part of the center’s development since its inception over ten years ago, Weinbach brings extensive experience and tremendous market knowledge to the position. NYPC’s former CEO, Allan Freeman, will transition to a special advisory role after providing essential leadership through the institution’s successful launch and robust initial growth period.

“This is a pivotal moment for cancer providers across the country. COVID has forced us to be nimble in confronting major challenges to care delivery. I’m proud we remained safely open for our patients throughout 2020, and I am confident we are positioned for continued growth as we meet the demand of New Yorkers and those around the world seeking the best radiation treatment available to them,” said Jonathan Weinbach, incoming Chief Executive Officer of the New York Proton Center. “Moving forward, and with the continued support of our prestigious clinical partners, my focus will be on advancing our capacity as a center of clinical excellence and as a hub for innovative research that transforms the treatment paradigm for the next generation of patients.”

Despite the challenges of the COVID pandemic, today NYPC is treating nearly 100 patients per day—an unprecedented volume at this stage in its development compared to the nearly 40 other proton facilities across the United States. Since opening for treatment in August 2019, the New York Proton Center has ramped up its capacity at a rapid pace, and currently treats the most complex and diverse caseload of any center of its kind. That is due in no small part to the collaboration of its renowned institutional partners, all based in close proximity to NYPC.

“Jon’s strong commitment to the Center, energetic leadership and keen intuition for what drives growth and innovation has already been a critical part of its success and will ensure the New York Proton Center becomes a case study in proton therapy’s potential to become a new standard of radiation care,” said Donald Scanlon, Chairman of the Board of the New York Proton Center. “After conducting an extensive nationwide search of leaders in the field, we believe more firmly than ever that he is the right person to carry on the legacy of Allan’s many years of great leadership.”

Prior to serving as the NYPC’s CFO, Weinbach led several divisions at 21st Century Oncology, the largest private provider of radiation therapy services in the United States. He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a representative on several committees of the National Association for Proton Therapy.

For additional information, please visit www.nyproton.com.

Committee Includes National Leaders in Radiation Oncology and Proton Therapy

Washington, DC, December 21, 2020 – To guide the National Association for Proton Therapy, the organization has created a NEW Physician Advisory Committee. The Committee will advise NAPT on critical issues including advancing clinical research collaboration, patient education and equitable insurance reimbursement practices.

Chaired by J. Isabelle Choi, MD, Clinical Director and Research Director of the New York Proton Center and Assistant Member at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the Committee is comprised of experts representing the leading radiation oncology and proton therapy centers such as Mayo Clinic, Emory Proton Center, Miami Cancer Institute, and MD Anderson Cancer Center.

“We are excited that Dr. Choi will be chairing the Physician Advisory Committee,” said Jennifer Maggiore, Executive Director, NAPT. “Dr. Choi’s efforts to advance proton therapy research and improve outcomes for cancer patients makes her a terrific leader in this new role.”

Under Dr. Choi’s leadership, the NAPT Physician Advisory Committee will be positioned to support the mission and goals of the association by promoting the benefits of proton therapy, collaborating with other cancer-related stakeholders, and supporting proton therapy research.

“I’m pleased to lead these expert proton therapy physicians who can help the organization expand insurance coverage guidelines, develop clinical trials, and promote the collaboration of proton therapy disease-specific research summaries for patients and those supporting access to proton therapy,” said Dr. Choi.

Before coming to the New York Proton Center, Dr. Choi was an Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and served as a clinical lead of the Maryland Proton Treatment Center. She was previously the Clinical Director at the California Protons Cancer Therapy Center in San Diego, where she also served as the Associate Director of Clinical Research and the Chief of the Breast Cancer, Thoracic Oncology, and Gynecologic Services.

In addition to her chairing NAPT’s Physician Advisory Committee, Dr. Choi is Chair of the Proton Collaborative Group Publications Committee and Breast Subcommittee and is the President of the Korean American Society of Radiation Oncology.

For more information about NAPT, visit www.proton-therapy.org.

About NAPT

Founded in 1990, NAPT is a nonprofit organization that educates and increases awareness about the benefits of proton therapy. As one of the most advanced methods of radiation treatment, proton therapy allows radiation treatment doses to be delivered to cancerous tumors while minimizing radiation exposure to healthy tissues and organs that results in the potential for fewer short and long term side effects. NAPT works to educate and raise awareness of proton therapy, ensure patient choice and access to proton therapy, and encourage cooperative research and innovation to advance the appropriate and cost-effective utilization of proton therapy. NAPT’s supporting members include 36 of the nation’s leading cancer centers, some of whom are National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers and National Comprehensive Care Network (NCCN) members.

Inaugural session of first-of-its-kind “Proton Therapy School” featured lecture series led by clinical experts & in-depth discussions on patient case studies

New York, NY, September 15, 2020 – The New York Proton Center (NYPC) today became the first proton therapy center to launch a comprehensive Proton Therapy School aimed at educating clinicians across the United States and around the world on how to successfully utilize and optimally deliver modern pencil beam-scanning proton therapy.

The first training programs – separate schools for physicians and for dosimetrists – were delivered virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. NYPC is developing individualized curriculums for new and existing proton therapy centers both domestically and internationally that will receive training in the coming months.

Launched in 2019 by a consortium of leading academic medical centers including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Mount Sinai Health System and Montefiore Health System, NYPC is one of the most advanced and technologically sophisticated proton therapy facilities in the world.

Sponsored by renowned medical technology provider Varian Medical Systems, which supplied the state-of-the-art ProBeam® proton therapy system available at the NYPC, this hands-on education program allows members of the NYPC clinical team to share valuable insights on utilizing and delivering the most current proton therapy technology.

“Proton therapy has proven highly effective in improving outcomes and reducing toxicities for many cancers based on decades of successful treatment and research, yet it is still a relatively new field in which specialty training and technical knowledge are critically needed,” said Dr. Charles Simone, FACRO, Chief Medical Officer of The New York Proton Center. “Our highly experienced team has developed a comprehensive breadth of educational tools, observerships and training programs for physicians, physicists, dosimetrists, therapists and administrators. We look forward to sharing more of what we have learned with others as proton therapy becomes more widely available.”  Dr. Arpit Chhabra, Director of Education at NYPC, added, “It’s a privilege to welcome oncologists of excellence to NYPC and establish collaborative relationships that look to advance the future of proton therapy.”

“It is an honor not only to partner with the clinical experts at the New York Proton Center, but to help them share with others the innovations in proton therapy treatment they are spearheading in New York City,” said Kolleen T. Kennedy, President, Proton Solutions & Chief Growth Officer, Varian Medical Systems, Inc. “The Proton Therapy School developed by NYPC faculty reflects the kind of dynamic peer learning that drives medical progress, and the combination of great clinical knowledge with best-in-class treatment technology that participants in these courses will find is exceptional.”

For additional information, please visit www.nyproton.com.

About the New York Proton Center

The New York Proton Center is creating the gold standard for proton therapy, giving new hope to patients living with cancer. In partnership with leading academic medical centers—Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Montefiore Health System, Mount Sinai Health System, and ProHEALTH as manager—the New York Proton Center brings together expert oncologists, clinical care teams, and researchers to improve cancer care and advance the clinical evidence for proton therapy.

New York State’s first proton center quickly became one of the country’s leading providers of proton therapy and successfully maintained patient care throughout the COVID-19 crisis

New York, NY, August 11, 2020 — The New York Proton Center (NYPC), the first proton therapy facility in New York State, today celebrates its one-year anniversary since beginning patient treatment. During its first year of operation, the state-of-the-art facility in New York City treated more than 530 patients, making NYPC one of the busiest proton centers in the country–and the quickest to reach such a high volume of patients for proton therapy in one year.

A unique consortium of city-based institutions including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Montefiore Health System, and Mount Sinai Health System partnered to launch NYPC in 2019. NYPC is one of only 36 proton centers in the US providing this innovative treatment.

Proton therapy targets cancerous tumors with millimeter precision while minimizing damage to surrounding organs and tissue. It has proven highly effective in treating a wide range of cancers, including complex brain, breast, gastrointestinal, lung, head and neck, and prostate cancers. NYPC’s highly experienced clinical team was recruited from around the world to provide the most effective treatment possible.

During its first year of operation, NYPC treated the most children with solid tumors in the tristate area. NYPC has also treated a higher proportion of adult patients who had aggressive cancers that recurred following conventional radiation therapy than any other proton center in the country. Proton therapy is often the only treatment that can offer these patients a new chance for a cure.

Despite the unprecedented difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, NYPC has continuously and safely been treating patients and providing care since the start of the pandemic in March.

“While we did not anticipate the challenges of COVID-19, we can look back on a successful first year of serving both many New Yorkers and patients from around the world as they pursued proton therapy to treat their cancer. We can offer them clinical excellence and cutting-edge treatment technology that minimizes side effects and better preserves quality of life compared with other types of radiation therapy,” said Dr. Charles Simone, FACRO, Chief Medical Officer at the New York Proton Center. “The New York region is not only the most populous metropolitan area in the country, which previously lacked access to this critical treatment, but home to the excellent academic medical centers with whom the New York Proton Center is proud to partner.”

The New York Proton Center is part of the ongoing commercial and residential redevelopment of the area surrounding East 125^thStreet in Harlem.

Looking ahead to year two, the center will expand the availability of this critical treatment while continuing to monitor and adapt to the public health crisis with the health and safety of its patients as its first priority.

For additional information, please visit www.nyproton.com.

About the New York Proton Center

The New York Proton Center is creating the gold standard for proton therapy, giving new hope to patients living with cancer. In partnership with leading academic medical centers—Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Montefiore Health System, Mount Sinai Health System, and ProHEALTH as manager—the New York Proton Center brings together expert oncologists, clinical care teams, and researchers to improve cancer care and advance the clinical evidence for proton therapy.

The New York Proton Center’s hospital partners—Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Montefiore Health System and Mount Sinai Health System—have begun treating patients at the new state-of-the-art facility in East Harlem.

The center is expected to treat 1,400 patients annually, including the majority of children in New York City with solid tumors.

New York, NY – The New York Proton Center, the first proton therapy facility to open in New York State, has begun treating patients. The center’s unique consortium of partners, comprised of three leading New York City health systems—Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), Montefiore Health System and Mount Sinai Health System—began sending patients to the state-of-the-art East Harlem facility in August. Those who receive treatment at the center will have access to top-quality care from an experienced clinical team of proton therapy-trained specialists leveraging the most advanced radiation technology in the world.

The New York Proton Center is projected to treat approximately 1,400 patients annually, receiving patients from its consortium partner institutions and those throughout the New York metro area and beyond who are looking for the most effective radiation care possible. The majority of children in New York City with solid tumors will be treated at the center due to the particular effectiveness proton therapy has shown in reducing side effects for pediatric patients.

“Our goal is to deliver the highest standard of treatment possible, ensuring a seamless patient experience by handling all of the details for those under our care,” said Dr. Charles B. Simone, II, FACRO, Chief Medical Officer at the New York Proton Center. “We coordinate every patient’s care with their oncologist, tailoring treatment to the individual, and provide all patients with onsite services to improve their treatment experience, including a complimentary concierge program, nurse navigators, social services, and nutritional support. With clinical expertise from nationally regarded health systems and state-of-the-art proton beam technology, we have all the resources we need to significantly improve the quality of life for our patients.”

The most precise form of cancer radiation treatment currently available, proton therapy spares patients the side-effects experienced with traditional radiation therapy by more precisely targeting tumors and minimizing damage to surrounding organs and tissue. It has proven highly effective in treating a range of cancers, all of which will be treated at the New York Proton Center, including brain and spine tumors, head and neck tumors, breast cancer, lung and other thoracic cancers, gastrointestinal cancers, sarcomas, gynecologic cancers, prostate cancer, lymphomas and recurrent cancers.

Previously, proton therapy patients in the New York metro area were most commonly referred to out-of-state facilities. The opening of the New York Proton Center now gives patients in the New York metro area a new, more convenient option to receive proton therapy.

Nearly all patients will be given the opportunity to enroll in clinical studies as part of the New York Proton Center’s first-of-its-kind research program, which aims to further the body of clinical evidence advancing proton therapy as a critical treatment for complex tumors and difficult-to-treat cases. Unique among the 31 proton centers in operation across the U.S., the New York Proton Center will lead research efforts as an autonomous entity separate from, although guided by, its affiliate partners. Led by the center’s Director of Research, Dr. Isabelle Choi, three randomized phase III studies will begin this fall, evaluating the use of proton therapy in treating breast, prostate and head and neck cancers.

“We are thrilled that our patients now have access to one of the most advanced proton centers in the world,” said Dr. Simon Powell, Chair of Radiation Oncology at MSK. “The incredible team that came together to create this center has seen firsthand the power of proton therapy to change people’s lives, and we’re proud to begin serving patients in the New York region and beyond.”

“Our goal is to increase the number of therapeutic options for our patients, but also expand the body of research into proton therapy so we can determine who will benefit the most from this novel treatment,” said Dr. Shalom Kalnicki, FACRO, professor and chair, Radiation Oncology, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “We look forward to partnering with our patients and their families so each person who walks through our doors gets the most advanced, personalized care possible.”

“For years, we’ve been grateful to our partners at the ProCure Center in New Jersey, but we never lost sight of the necessity for a facility of our own here in New York,” said Dr. Kenneth Rosenzweig, Chair of Radiation Oncology at Mount Sinai. “We’ve assembled an unprecedented team of 23 proton therapy-trained radiation oncologists to deliver a first-class care experience for our patients, and we’re complementing that care with a robust, practice-defining research program.”

“The beginning of patient treatment at the center marks the culmination of a nearly decade-long development process,” said Allan Freeman, the New York Proton Center’s Chief Executive Officer. “It’s an exciting moment for those of us who have dedicated ourselves to bringing this project to fruition. With the guidance and support of Memorial Sloan Kettering, Montefiore and Mount Sinai, we look forward to meeting the demand in this region for this cutting-edge treatment.”

The center will be one of the few worldwide that is equipped with the newest and most effective proton therapy technology, provided by globally renowned Varian Medical Systems, the worldwide leader in developing multidisciplinary, integrated cancer solutions. Treatments will be enhanced by pencil beam scanning, which allows physicians to maximize radiation directly to tumors, and with volumetric imaging, which helps them precisely identify and target cancers to millimeter accuracy.

“Innovative technology is key to enhancing our ability to treat cancer,” said Kolleen Kennedy, President, Proton Solutions and Chief Growth Officer at Varian. “Just as the science of treatment is constantly changing, so is the effectiveness of the mechanisms by which we deliver care. Varian prides itself on creating industry-leading equipment, and we are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with such a premier team at the New York Proton Center.”

For additional information, please visit www.nyproton.com. High resolution images of the center are also available.

About the New York Proton Center

The New York Proton Center is creating the gold standard for proton therapy, giving new hope to patients living with cancer. In partnership with leading academic medical centers—Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Montefiore Health System, Mount Sinai Health System, and ProHEALTH as manager—the New York Proton Center brings together expert oncologists, clinical care teams, and researchers to improve cancer care and advance the clinical evidence for proton therapy.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Montefiore Health System, and Mount Sinai Health System partner to bring cutting-edge radiation treatment to New York metro region

With state-of-the-art technology and clinical expertise from leading health care institutions, New York Proton Center will offer exceptional patient experience and serve as a home for groundbreaking research

New York, June 6, 2019 – The New York Proton Center, New York state’s first proton therapy facility, opened its doors today in East Harlem. A consortium of three New York City-based health care institutions—Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), Montefiore Health System and Mount Sinai Health System—will begin sending patients and providing clinical expertise to the new center. ProHEALTH, a multi-specialty health care network, provides back end business support for the center.

Combining the expertise of radiation oncologists from nationally regarded health systems with state-of-the-art proton beam technology, the $300 million, 140,000-square-foot facility will be a beacon of top-quality cancer care nationwide.

“Proton therapy has proven highly successful in treating a wide variety of cancers and has increasingly become an integral tool in reducing side effects and preserving quality of life,” said Dr. Charles Simone, New York Proton Center’s Chief Medical Officer. “Patients throughout the tri-state area and beyond now have access to the most advanced radiation treatment currently available.”

With a large number of patients coming from its consortium hospital partners, in addition to patients and other providers seeking out the latest in radiation oncology technology, New York Proton Center will also be one of the busiest proton centers in the country, serving as a vital resource for those in the New York metro region.

“The opening of this facility represents an unprecedented commitment to the future of cancer treatment,” said Dr. Simon Powell, Chair of Radiation Oncology at MSK. “New York will continue to lead in the struggle against cancer by offering groundbreaking treatment for many of our most vulnerable patients.”

“Cancer therapy is more effective than ever, but the combination of the number of treatments, keeping track of them, and getting to and from each appointment is grueling for many,” said Dr. Shalom Kalnicki, FACRO, professor and chair, Radiation Oncology, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “Through our research at the New York Proton Center, we can now explore novel ways to better target and time a form of radiation that spares healthy organs in a way that has never been possible until now. Today marks the beginning of an improved care treatment process and era where people can live longer, but also enjoy healthier cancer-free lives.”

“This center will not only provide metro area patients with an extremely high level of care, but it will serve as the site of clinical trials that hold the potential to significantly influence the way we treat cancer,” said Dr. Kenneth Rosenzweig, Chair of Radiation Oncology at Mount Sinai. “Our mission is to deliver both clinical excellence and innovative research that saves lives today and in the future.”

“With its unique consortium model of clinical partners, this proton facility is well-positioned for success,” said Allan Freeman, Chief Executive Officer of New York Proton Center. “We intend to deliver an unparalleled patient experience leveraging the most advanced proton technology available anywhere in the world.”

Leveraging Pioneering Technology

Whereas regular photon radiation pierces through its intended target, often impacting sensitive organs and tissue, proton therapy uses a more precise beam that stops at the tumor, drastically reducing or even eliminating unnecessary irradiation to adjacent healthy tissues.

There are 30 proton centers nationwide, but the New York Proton Center is one of the few that is equipped with the newest and most effective treatment technology, including:

• second-generation proton therapy with pencil beam scanning that allows optimal treatment for the most complex tumors
• volumetric imaging, which helps physicians precisely identify and target cancers to millimeter accuracy

Clinical Focus Areas

The center’s faculty of 23 proton therapy-trained radiation oncologists, with decades of experience working at proton centers, is much larger than most comparable centers. In addition to Dr. Simone, the center’s clinical leadership will include the chairs of radiation oncology at each of its consortium partner institutions: Dr. Powell (MSK), Dr. Kalnicki (Montefiore), and Dr. Rosenzweig (Mount Sinai).

New York Proton Center’s team will coordinate care with its consortium partners to ensure a seamless patient experience. It will treat patients with a wide variety of conditions, including brain and spine tumors, head and neck tumors, breast cancer, lung and other thoracic cancers, gastrointestinal cancers, sarcomas, gynecologic cancers, prostate cancer, lymphomas and recurrent cancers.

The center will also be the site of treatment for the vast majority of children in the New York metro region with solid tumors.

Research and Clinical Trials

New York Proton Center anchors the 125th Street Development Project, a New York City Economic Development Corporation initiative aimed at revitalizing East Harlem as a hub of innovation.

For additional information, please visit www.nyproton.com. High resolution video and images of the center are also available.

About the New York Proton Center

The New York Proton Center is creating the gold standard for proton therapy, giving new hope to patients living with cancer. In partnership with leading academic medical centers—Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Montefiore Health System, Mount Sinai Health System, and ProHEALTH as manager—New York Proton Center brings together expert oncologists, clinical care teams, and researchers to improve cancer care and advance the clinical evidence for proton therapy.