Two new NHS proton beam therapy facilities could offer treatment to 1,500 cancer patients a year when they open in the next few years.
The therapy – which is particularly helpful for children with rare and complex tumours – was highlighted with the case of Ashya King last year.
The five-year old’s parents took him abroad after doctors in the UK did not recommend it for his brain tumour.
Experts say the new centres will be “game-changing”.
The therapy allows precise targeting of certain tumours, increasing the success rates and reducing the risk of damage to surrounding tissues.
But it is not yet available in the UK – apart from one clinic to treat eye conditions.
On Wednesday, a ceremony at University College London Hospital (UCLH) – attended by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt – marked the start of construction at one of the sites, due to open in 2019.
The other, at the Christie cancer centre in Manchester, will start taking patients in 2018.
Full article on the BBC News website here.
