40-36 Colorado Institutions Vying to Build First Carbon Ion Center in the U.S.

publication date: Sep. 26, 2014

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Colorado Institutions Vying to Build

First Carbon Ion Center in the U.S.

By Paul Goldberg

The University of Colorado and Colorado State University are vying to become the first institution to build a carbon-ion radiotherapy research and treatment facility in the U.S. The treatment modality is available in Europe and Japan.

Officials at the two universities are exploring the feasibility of building a $300 million research and treatment facility at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora.

Their first step is to conduct a $200,000 feasibility study for the project.

They have signed a memorandum of understanding to pursue the project with University of Colorado Health’s Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins and with the National Institute of Radiological Sciences in Japan.

According to industry estimates, carbon ion radiation therapy centers cost twice as much to construct as proton beam centers.

The NCI Board of Scientific Advisors recently approved a concept to conduct a randomized controlled trial to determine the safety and efficacy of carbon ion therapy at existing facilities in Japan, before such centers are constructed in the U.S. (The Cancer Letter, July 3).

“Cancer experts at CSU have worked for several years with colleagues at the CU School of Medicine and NIRS to explore the possibility of a carbon-ion research and treatment facility in Denver,” Mark Stetter, dean of the CSU College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, said in a statement. “It’s clear that our collaboration offers distinct advantages for an international carbon ion center … Continue reading 40-36 Colorado Institutions Vying to Build First Carbon Ion Center in the U.S.

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