UMass Memorial to build $54 million cancer treatment facility

A specialized kind of cancer treatment is coming to central Massachusetts.

The state Public Health Council on Wednesday greenlit UMass Memorial Health’s request to build a $54 million cancer care facility in Marlborough. The site will offer proton therapy, which is an alternative to traditional radiation therapy.

Usually, radiation therapy is given in the form of X-rays, which target tumors but can also deliver radiation to nearby healthy organs. In proton therapy, oncologists use a beam of charged protons to treat the tumor.

UMass Memorial said the project will improve access to care for local patients, who now have to travel to access proton therapy.

“As the incidence of cancer cases rises in Central Massachusetts and throughout the state, we’re committed to remaining a leader in clinical innovation,” UMass Memorial spokesperson Shelly Hazlett said in an email. “This project is a critical component of improving the health and quality of life of the patients that entrust us with their care.”

The Public Health Council approved the project unanimously.

There are just two proton therapy units in New England, both at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Those units treat about 640 patients annually, according to state public health officials.

Some Massachusetts cancer patients travel to New York or other far-flung destinations to access proton treatment, because it is not widely available.

But this is changing. In addition to the UMass Memorial facility, Dana-Farber is planning to build a proton therapy center in the Longwood neighborhood of Boston. That $50 million project is still under review.

“There's currently an unmet need,” Dr. Allison O’Neill, vice president for clinical performance management at Dana-Farber, told WBUR this fall.

The existing sites are overwhelmed, she said.

Proponents of proton therapy say research shows it is beneficial especially for children, because it can more precisely pinpoint tumors and reduce damage to healthy tissues.

Critics historically have questioned whether the therapy’s purported benefits are worth its high costs. Studies are ongoing.

UMass Memorial leaders said the costs have come down, thanks to technological advancements. They said proton therapy also can save costs by reducing follow-up care and improving patients’ quality of life.

Material from State House News Service was used in this report.