The first proton beam therapy centres to be built in the UK will herald a new era of cancer care provision.

Professor Karol Sikora, former head of the World Health Organisation’s cancer programme and chief medical adviser to Proton Partners International Limited, told an audience of international life sciences and healthcare experts in Wales that proton beam therapy will 'transform' care in the UK.

Speaking in Cardiff at the Welsh Life Sciences Hub in Cardiff, Professor Sikora said: "Work will begin this summer on the UK's first Proton Beam Therapy Centre, based at Cardiff Spring. For cancer patients across the UK, it is a moment that cannot come soon enough."

"There are more than 150,000 cancer patients in the UK every year, treated with radiation therapy. At least 10% of these people might be better treated with proton beam therapy. Across the world proton beam therapy has been shown to deliver significant results for patients, especially in lowering side effects, but in the UK we are yet to start.."

"The first treatment centre, which will be operational by Christmas next year, will have the capacity to treat 700 patients annually. This will transform treatment provision for NHS and privately-funded patients who, at present, have to be sent abroad to received proton beam therapy. This therapy is not a panacea but it makes a real difference for so many patients, particularly children, that its provision on a suitable scale within the UK is essential."

Proton Partners International Limited is to open three centres across the UK, the first in Wales and the others in Northumberland and London. Each centre will treat up to 700 patients per year.

The Wales Life Sciences Investment Fund established by the Welsh Government and operated by Arthurian Life Sciences, led by entrepreneur Sir Chris Evans, is investing in Proton Partners and was instrumental in establishing the first centre in Wales.

Mike Moran, managing director of Proton Partners International, said: "We are very pleased to have had the opportunity today in Wales to set out our plans to an illustrious audience, united in  the desire to see better cancer treatment in the UK."

"Our plans for the establishment of the three centres are progressing well. Following our decision last month to appoint IBA (Ion Beam Applications), the world’s leading provider of proton therapy solutions for the treatment of cancer,  to install its system in each of the three UK centres and Philips to provide software and technology tools, there has been significant interest from health care professionals who are keen to explore the possibilities our centres will offer."

"This is a project that will deliver wide ranging and much needed benefit and we look forward to taking our plans forward with a sense of pride."

Professor Gordon McVie, chairman of Proton Partners emphasised that the company was international, and will be a significant economic asset for Wales.

It will also create a critical mass of fast particle scientists, and be the training centre for new staff in each of the future UK centres.

We have partnered with bluechip world leading companies, Philips and IBA, and we shall become an international centre of excellence, sharing in the European Proton Networks from which UK has so far been excluded.

Our fundraising will not stop at £100 million as we already have advanced plans for three overseas centres.

Source: Proton Partners International Limited