Proton Therapy Center in Prague
Prague
, Czech Republic
4
reviews
Price level Medium
ISO 9001
8000
patients per year
2012
Year of foundation
20%
foreign patients
5
treatment rooms
About clinic
The Proton Therapy Center in Prague is recognized as one of the most advanced in Europe. The center's specialists carry out cancer therapy using proton beam irradiation. This is the only proton center in Europe that accepts patients with absolutely all types of cancer and gives them a great chance of recovery.
The Proton Therapy Center in Prague has five rooms equipped with high-tech equipment:
- Three rooms with a rotating unit allow irradiating the tumor from any side (in the hard-to-reach location of the tumor).
- One room with fixed installation. During irradiation, the beam is directed to a specific place of formation.
- One room with a narrow focus beam and a special chair that fixes the head in the desired position (for patients with eye cancer).
Features of treatment with proton beams
The Center accepts patients with all types of cancer at any stage. Treatment is carried out by ultra-precise irradiation of a malignant tumor with a proton beam.
Benefits of Proton Therapy:
- protons are aimed directly at the affected area, which helps protect unaffected tissues and organs from side effects;
- allows to destroy all cancer cells by increasing the dose of radiation (it is safe for healthy cells);
- minimal risk of side effects;
- rapid recovery of the patient after a course of therapy;
- fewer relapses compared to chemotherapy.
Before the appointment for therapy, the patient undergoes a comprehensive examination. Diagnostics make it possible to indicate the exact location of the tumor and its size. After that, a personal course of treatment and the most appropriate radiation dose is selected.
Features of the treatment and diagnostic proces
Part of the Proton Therapy Center is also the radiodiagnostics and nuclear medicine department.
In addition to treatment, patients may undergo diagnostic tests such as:
- magnetic and resonance imaging (MRI);
- positron emission tomography (PET);
- computed tomography (CT).
During therapy, the Pencil Beam Scanning (PBS) technique is used to target and distribute the dose of the proton beam. Scanning with a pencil beam illuminates the target area with millimeter accuracy, thereby minimizing exposure to nearby tissues and organs. PBS improves patients' chances of recovery and positively affects the quality of life after treatment.
Treatment with proton beams is recognized as the safest and most effective for the treatment of pediatric oncology. This method makes it possible to completely destroy the malignant tumor and increase the chances of a full recovery.
This method of treatment allows to not affect the healthy tissues of the child and increases the dose of radiation without harm to the body to achieve the desired result. Proton beams are directed to tumor cells with an accuracy of 1 mm.
The therapy is performed on an outpatient basis, one visit takes about 60 minutes, and the radiation is only a few minutes. Before each radiation session, specialists carefully check the patient's condition using X-ray scanning.
Benefits of treatment at the Proton Therapy Center in Prague
When choosing the Prague Cancer Center, the patient receives:
- individual care;
- airport transfer;
- assistance in finding housing;
- appointment of an individual treatment plan by a team of doctors;
- complex diagnostics;
- proton beam therapy followed by efficiency control.
The patient is treated with his own personal coordinator assigned to him after the first consultation. The coordinator helps to deal with the documents and all the formalities necessary to start proton therapy. He also accompanies the patient for examinations and makes appointments with doctors.
Accurate treatment planning is critical to treatment success. Therefore, a team of specialists selects a personal course of therapy. The irradiation plan also determines the direction and intensity of the proton beams during irradiation.
After completing the course of therapy and discharge from the center, the staff controls the recovery period in the form of remote consultations.
Leave a request on the website so that Experts Medical specialists provide all the necessary information on treatment at the Proton Therapy Center in Prague.
The best specialties of the hospital
All
Oncology
Sergei Poloshin
5/5
Clinic: Proton Therapy Center in Prague
Diagnosis: oncology
I was impressed by the futuristic technology and that the procedure was painless. Every member of my treatment team was kind and did their best to make me feel comfortable. Thank you very much!
24/02/2017
Antonina Proreznyuk
5/5
Clinic: Proton Therapy Center in Prague
Diagnosis: brain stem tumor
My husband and I tried to get here for an examination in order to undergo radiation therapy, which my husband was prescribed in Italy for a brain stem tumor. Our experience has shown that the center conducts exclusively proton therapy, and there is an idea to go here to patients who are no longer helped by chemotherapy.
05/06/2018
Zhenya
5/5
Clinic: Proton Therapy Center in Prague
Diagnosis: oncology
Good clinic. Has passed a course of beam therapy. Hoping for the best.
16/12/2019
Vladimir Serb
5/5
Clinic: Proton Therapy Center in Prague
Diagnosis: oncology
I felt like I was in another world. Spacious building, friendly staff, professional doctors. For me, this is very important. I’m doing great!
03/04/2019
Help pay for treatment
Experts Medical cooperates with foreign funds that help our patients pay for treatment
You can receive compensation up to 20,000 euros for the treatment of a patient under the age of 18
Cost of diagnostics and operations
Diagnostics
| MRI | from 650 € | Enquire price |
| CT | from 250 € | Enquire price |
| PET-CT | from 2000 € | Enquire price |
| Radiologist consultation | Enquire price |
Proton therapy
| Proton Beam Therapy | from 40000 € | Enquire price |
| Proton therapy for breast cancer | Enquire price | |
| Proton therapy for prostate cancer | Enquire price |
Best clinic's doctors
Pavel Vitek
Radiation Oncologist
Work experience:
over 28 years
Achievements:
Specialization:
- Gastrointestinal oncology
- Neuroendocrine oncology
- Disseminated tumors of the peritoneum
Education:
- Graduate of the Faculty of General Medicine at Charles University in Prague
Clinical Experience:
- Started his career in the Department of Internal Medicine at Kladno Hospital
- Worked in the Department of Clinical Oncology at the Faculty General Hospital No. 2 in Prague.
- Worked at the Institute of Radiation Oncology at Na Bulovka Hospital in Prague.
- Since 1996 – Head of the Inpatient Department of the Institute of Radiation Oncology.
Teaching activities:
- He teaches at the 1st Faculty of Medicine of Charles University in Prague
- He teaches at the Institute of Postgraduate Education of Physicians and Pharmacists.
Scientific and professional activity:
- Regularly speaks at Czech and international conferences
- Publishes articles in specialized publications
Jiri Kubes
Radiation Oncologist
Work experience:
over 25 years
Achievements:
Specialization:
- Prostate oncology
- Head and neck oncology
Education:
- Graduate of the Faculty of Medicine of Charles University in Prague
Clinical Experience:
- Started his career in the oncology department of Jičín Hospital
- Then worked in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Na Bulovka Hospital.
- Head of the Radiotherapy Department at the Oncology Clinic in Ostrava.
- Since 2007 – Chief Physician of the Radiotherapy Complex of the Radiation Oncology Institute of Na Bulovka Hospital.
- Currently, he is the chief physician of the Proton Therapy Center in Prague.
Teaching activities:
- Lecturer at the Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education
- Lecturer at the Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Charles University.
Membership in professional societies:
- Vice-Chairman of SROBF (Society of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics)
Barbora Ondrova
Radiation Oncologist
Work experience:
over 15 years
Achievements:
Specialization:
- Pediatric tumors
- Prostate cancer
- Tumors of the central nervous system (CNS)
- Lung cancer
Education:
- Graduate of Masaryk University in Brno
Professional experience:
- More than 10 years of work at the Clinic of Radiation Oncology
- Work experience at Masaryk Cancer Institute
- Teaching activities at the Faculty of Medicine of Masaryk University
Membership in professional societies:
- Member of the Czech Society of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics (SROBF)
Катержина Дедечкова (Katerina Dedeckova)
Radiation Oncologist
Work experience:
over 20 years
Achievements:
Specialization:
- Lymphomas
- Head and neck tumors
Education:
- Graduate of Charles University in Prague
Professional experience:
- She started her career at the Institute of Radiation Oncology of the First Medical Faculty of Charles University and the Faculty Hospital on Bulovka Street
- In 2009 she received a certificate of specialist in radiation oncology.
Additional services
Transfer from / to the airport
Visa assistance
Personal assistant
Wi-Fi Internet
Reservation of accommodation and airline tickets
Translator
Accommodation for accompanying person
Single room
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Why is proton therapy so expensive?
This is due to the cost of building a center with a proton accelerator, with the help of which a proton beam is formed. And also due to the operation of this voluminous, complex, innovative, and expensive equipment. Proton therapy requires a large team of various skilled professionals. Therefore, these specialized centers exist only in countries with high-tech and expensive medicine. All this influences pricing. The cost of treatment at the Proton Therapy Center in Prague corresponds to the high level of European medicine.
What types of cancer are treated at the Proton Therapy Center in Prague?
- prostate cancer;
- breast cancer;
- head and neck tumors;
- tumors of the brain and spinal cord;
- lung cancer;
- tumors of the esophagus and pancreas;
- malignant lymphomas;
- liver cancer.
The center also treats many children with various oncological diseases.
What tumors in children can be cured in this center?
- medulloblastoma;
- craniopharyngioma;
- low-grade glioma;
- ependymoma;
- soft tissue sarcomas;
- Ewing’s sarcoma;
- neuroblastoma.
The use of proton therapy in children significantly reduces the risk of both side effects during treatment and the long-term consequences of irradiation of a growing organism. Proton therapy in children, as well as in adults, can be performed on an outpatient basis (if the child does not receive other treatment in the hospital at this time).
In the event that a small child requires general anesthesia during irradiation, he (or she) stays in the center for 2-3 hours. After irradiation, together with one of the parents, the child is under the supervision of an anesthesiologist and nurses in a special ward. At least once a week, the child is examined by a pediatric oncologist, who assesses the state, and the results of treatment and makes adjustments to the therapy plan. While waiting for examinations or treatment, children can be in the play area with toys and entertainment things.
Can children with neuroleukemia receive proton therapy?
The best choice in such cases is proton therapy. Using proton beam therapy instead of conventional radiotherapy can reduce the side effects that significantly impair a child’s quality of life and the tolerability of life-saving treatments. Therefore, it is possible to carry out therapy in full and without short-term and long-term consequences for the growing organism.
Irradiation of the entire craniospinal axis usually takes 9-12 sessions. If tumors from leukemic cells are detected, the child may need 15-18 radiation exposures. Proton irradiation of the CNS significantly increases the chances of recovery in children with neuroleukemia.
What are the benefits of cancer treatment at the Proton Therapy Center in Prague?
Also, the advantages of proton therapy in Prague include:
- High-tech diagnostics. The center includes a department of radiation diagnostics and nuclear medicine where patients undergo MRI and PET-CT using the latest generation devices.
- Extensive experience in proton therapy with specialists at the center. Since its opening in 2012, more than 8,000 patients from 50 countries are already treated in the center.
- Individual approach to each patient. A personalized approach to each patient, taking into account his individual needs, is practiced in the center.
- The attending physician for each patient. In addition to the team of specialists who carry out the treatment, the patient is attended by another permanent attending physician who pays special attention to him.
- Personal coordinator for the patient for the entire period of treatment. Each patient is taken care of by a personal coordinator-translator who accompanies the patient during all activities in the center and resolves any issues related to the stay in Prague.
- Comfortable conditions of stay during treatment. For patients and their families, there are restrooms with telephone, TV, Wi-Fi, coffee maker, and minibar. At the reception, you can order drinks, snacks, hot chocolate for children, and free water throughout the day.
- Post-treatment support and follow-up through an open line of communication with center staff.
What is pencil beam scanning?
Рencil beam scanning (PBS) is an irradiation of a tumor using a thin beam of protons. The proton beam can be compared to a pencil, which carefully “draws” the tumor at high speed. During movement, the radiation power is modulated in accordance with the thickness of the tumor. This makes it possible to accurately “scan” with a narrow beam, that is, to irradiate a neoplasm of any shape several times.
PBS delivers millimeter-accurate radiation to the tumor with minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissues and organs. Therefore, the irradiation itself occurs very quickly, within a few minutes. The entire radiotherapy session can take 15-90 minutes, depending on the positioning of the patient during treatment.
What are the benefits of proton therapy in the treatment of breast cancer?
Cardiovascular diseases (myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, coronary heart disease) caused by radiation are one of the most serious late effects of exposure. Late complications of irradiation can also develop in the tissues of the lungs in the form of post-radiation pulmonary fibrosis – compaction of the lung tissue, which causes pneumonia and chronic cough. Therefore, in the radiation treatment of breast cancer, radiation oncologists strive to minimize the radiation dose to the heart and lungs.
The use of proton irradiation significantly reduces the risk of developing these post-radiation complications. Proton therapy is especially preferred:
- with a tumor in the left mammary gland;
- in patients who have already received a course of radiation to the second mammary gland;
- with tumors in both mammary glands;
- with concomitant heart disease.
Proton therapy for breast cancer:
- minimizes the risk of adverse effects on the heart and lungs;
- guarantees accurate coverage of the irradiation area;
- reduces the risk of developing secondary tumors;
- reduces the risk of complications after treatment;
- is well tolerated by patients and can be combined with chemotherapy.
What is the effectiveness of prostate cancer treatment at the Proton Therapy Center in Prague?
Proton beam therapy is the most gentle and effective treatment for prostate cancer with minimal side effects. The treatment success rate for prostate cancer in low-risk patients at the center is 98-99%. Since its opening in 2012, the center has treated 2,500 patients with this diagnosis. 99% of recovered men are free of urinary incontinence and other complications that often develop after surgery and conventional radiotherapy.
In what situations the proton therapy is not recommended?
Proton therapy is not used to treat patients with the following diagnoses:
- small cell carcinoma of the lung;
- malignant neoplasms of the skin (eg melanoma);
- cancer of the biliary tract, stomach, intestines;
- cancer of the kidneys, bladder, genital organs;
- some tumors of the central nervous system;
- advanced cancer with multiple metastases.
If the treating oncologist strongly recommends proton therapy, then you can consult at the center: all doctors are qualified and experienced in the field of conventional radiotherapy and their opinion will be useful.
How quickly is it possible to get proton therapy in Prague?
The coordinator-doctor of Experts Medical will translate the received data into the working language of the center and send them to the initial consultation.
The center conducts a daily consultation with specialists who evaluate the feasibility of proton therapy, so the answer will come fairly quickly. In case of a positive decision, the Experts Medical specialist will promptly agree on the date of arrival with you and will take care of booking tickets and selecting accommodation for the duration of the therapy. The experience and qualifications of Experts Medical allows to organize treatment at the Proton Therapy Center in Prague in the shortest possible time.