Arkansas Children’s brought the safest and most advanced cancer treatment closer to home for pediatric patients by partnering to deliver proton radiation therapy to the state.
On Sept. 27, 2023, the Proton Center of Arkansas – a joint venture between Arkansas Children’s, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Baptist Health and Proton International – officially opened its doors. The facility, the first of its kind in Arkansas and the 43rd proton radiation site in the nation, reflects the latest advancements in proton radiation therapy.
The ability to deliver radiation with precision targeting at both the proximal and distal ends of the beam can reduce damage to organs and tissue near cancerous (or non-cancerous) tumors, which is especially critical for pediatric patients whose bodies are still developing.
A 55-ton cyclotron and 75-ton gantry make the millimeter-level accuracy of radiation doses possible. Patients generally require the same number of treatments as traditional radiation but experience less toxicity.
The Proton Center of Arkansas includes a proton treatment room, eight exam rooms, a CT room, a high-dose radiation room, gowning rooms, recovery rooms, an anesthesia room, a large family area for pediatric patients and a physician work room.
Lighting and projectors in the proton treatment room allow patients to choose an ambient color and room theme digitally displayed on the walls and ceiling. This helps reduce anxiety in pediatric patients.
Adding proton therapy to the already nationally-ranked pediatric cancer care options at Arkansas Children’s is beneficial for many reasons. Having all treatment options in the same network:
On Nov. 3, 2023, Gracie Spears, 15, became the first pediatric patient to ‘ring the bell’ at the Proton Center of Arkansas. Gracie was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma in 2022 after her mother noticed what she believed was a cyst on Gracie’s neck.
Chemotherapy and low-dose radiation eradicate the disease for most patients with her condition. Six months of those standard treatments eliminated the initial tumors on the left side of her neck, but a PET scan revealed the cancer had spread to the right side of her torso, a relapse that occurs in roughly 30% of patients.
Arkansas Children’s oncologists treated Gracie with additional chemotherapy, immunotherapy and a stem cell transplant. These treatments occurred while the Proton Center of Arkansas was under construction.
Fortunate timing allowed Gracie to become the first pediatric patient treated at the new facility. Traditional radiation placed Gracie at a higher risk of developing breast cancer or heart or lung problems later in life and Proton therapy reduced those risks. Her family made daily trips from their home 80 miles away to the Proton Center of Arkansas for over three weeks. A burden that would have been substantially heavier if forced to travel out of state.
Arkansas Children’s is committed to bringing expert care close to home for every child in the state and region.
