Proton, anti-cancer: UAB building new radiation treatment center
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UAB is installing a new and improved form of cancer treatment – proton therapy. Proton therapy is generally described as x-ray radiation therapy, but better: it’s more precise and less damaging to healthy tissue than its more common counterpart.
Damage to healthy tissue is the primary cause of side effects from conventional radiation therapy. There are currently 25 proton therapy centers in the US. The particular company UAB is partnering with to bring proton therapy to Alabama, Proton International, has been involved in 7 total proton therapy centers.
UAB plans to replace parking lot 55 with the proton therapy center. All staff will be employed “exclusively” by UAB, not a third party.