Tampa General will bring new form of cancer treatment to Tampa Bay
October 28, 2021 - Tampa General Hospital along with several partners have formed a collaborative partnership with plans to build a proton therapy cancer center in Tampa Bay. It would be the first of its kind for Tampa Bay and would allow patients to access an advanced alternative to traditional radiation treatments. The partnership is with the Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Proton Therapy Partners and Florida Urology Partners. Under the support of a proposed LLC, the free-standing proton therapy center is expected to break ground in Tampa Bay in the second quarter of 2022. The exact location has not been confirmed. By using proton therapy, it delivers beams of high-energy protons to target tumors. It's highly effective in treating a wide range of adult cancers, from breast to head and neck to prostate cancer and pediatric brain and spinal tumors. Proton therapy is often the preferred treatment delivery modality when a cancerous tumor is close to a vital structure, according to TGH. Tampa Bay is the only major market in Florida without a proton therapy center.