| Definition of proton therapy: Proton therapy is based | | | | the Soviet Union was a mighty country with strong |
| on the cancer-destroying effect of ion particles (mostly | | | | interest in advanced projects, most of the equipment |
| protons) in irradiated tumors located deep in the body. | | | | have been used for 30-40 years without a proper |
| In this therapy, the cells of healthy tissues surrounding | | | | maintenance and thus need a thorough fixing and |
| the tumor are not exposed to damage. That is why | | | | complete overhauling. The Russian companies have no |
| proton therapy is an effective method to cure tumors | | | | interest in the investments into these laboratories. That |
| of vital organs (where conventional radiation therapy is | | | | is why there are no Gantry tools with rotating proton |
| detrimental to surrounding tissues). Proton therapy is | | | | beams. This device is considered to belong to the |
| highly effective in treating tumors of lung, brain, spine, | | | | second generation of proton therapy tools. |
| prostate, cervix, eye, and other deep-lying organs. | | | | The lack of money for the proton therapy laboratories |
| Current state of things: The United States already has | | | | is also stems from the unwillingness of traditional |
| 7 operating proton therapy facilities where between | | | | oncologists to recommend and explain their patients |
| 5000 to 10000 patients per year are treated for | | | | the possibilities of proton therapies. Here is a quotation |
| different cancer tumors. The US companies invest | | | | from my private conversation with one of such |
| heavily into the building projects for new proton | | | | oncology-surgeon from the Blokhin Cancer Institute in |
| accelerators and clinics, expecting 3-4 more | | | | Moscow: "I have a team of professional oncologists |
| ready-to-accept-patients clinics during next couple of | | | | including chemo-therapists, radiologists and surgeons. |
| years. The Europeans have also started to build up | | | | Their official salary is about $500 per month. So, when |
| their momentum in same direction through the | | | | we have a patient with big pockets full of money, we |
| renovation of old facilities and installation of new | | | | will never recommend him to go other place for his |
| facilities. The one bright example is the brand new | | | | treatment. Why should we? Nobody knows what the |
| Rinecker Center in Munich built in 2009, which is the | | | | proton therapy is, and nobody cares". |
| largest proton therapy clinic in Europe. In total there are, | | | | And when I talked to the staff of the proton |
| as for the end of 2009, 5 proton clinics in Europe | | | | laboratories, their reply was like:"The cancer market |
| where around 1000 patients per year use the benefits | | | | here in Russia for patients willing to pay for their |
| of the curing effects of proton beams. The Russians | | | | treatment follows the "first-come-first-serve" rule, |
| operate 3 proton clinics, the first one in the Dubna | | | | meaning that the oncologist who first takes in a rich |
| Nuclear Center (Moscow Region), the second one in | | | | patient, never tells his client all available options outside |
| S.Petersburg (former Leningrad), and the third one in | | | | the clinic. Everybody needs money to survive and thus |
| the ITEP Institute (Moscow Region). The other CIS | | | | hunts for rich patients. They (rich patients) are treated |
| countries have none. | | | | super class under the supervision of the best traditional |
| This article analyzes the current state of the proton | | | | oncologists in Moscow. We, who work with protons, |
| therapy in Russia and CIS countries. From the official | | | | are not allowed to take in patients from the street. We |
| information available from the Internet, all three clinics | | | | can take in patients only with the recommendation |
| operate in full capacity and treat the cancer patients | | | | letters from the cancer clinics. However, the cancer |
| sent to them from the Cancer Research Institute | | | | clinics are reluctant to send out their rich patients. They |
| (named after Blokhin) in Moscow and other cancer | | | | do so sometimes only when the patient had spent all |
| treatment clinics. During my recent trip to Moscow | | | | his money on their traditional treatment methods". For |
| (2009) I revealed how the real situation with the proton | | | | your information: the average (commercial) cost of a |
| clinics differs from the situation in West countries. | | | | typical cancer therapy is around $20000 in Moscow, |
| First of all, the claimed Russian clinics are not "true | | | | and a little less in CIS countries. |
| clinics" at all. They look more like research laboratories | | | | Fortunately the Russian government has plans to |
| with everything and everybody sharing the same | | | | develop the proton therapy facilities and has recently |
| room, and where the doctors and the technicians do | | | | started building projects for two Proton Therapy |
| their daily choirs. Among the doctors (this word is | | | | Clinics. They are sheduled to take in oncopatients by |
| commonly used in Russia for surgeons) you can meet | | | | 2012-2013. |
| a nuclear physicist, who knows perfectly how to | | | | According to recent survey results of the cancer |
| deliver and operate the proton beams, but has a | | | | patient market in Russia and CIS, there are at least |
| limited, or next to zero, knowledge about the cancer | | | | 1000 patients eligible each year for the proton therapy |
| tumor and what are the perils of the miscalculated | | | | in Europe and the United States. These patients may |
| dosage delivered to the patients' organ. In a similar | | | | fully compensate their treatment costs which are |
| way you might meet an oncologist who have no idea | | | | usually above the $50000 price range. However, due |
| what the protons are, and how the beam interacts | | | | to the lack of information explaining the proton therapy, |
| with the tumor. The worst thing, however, is the fact | | | | and because of the unwillingness of traditional |
| that there are no personnel certified by government | | | | oncologists to lose their patients with big money, the |
| and trained properly to run the proton beam controlling | | | | patients, in most cases, have no clue about whether |
| devices, computers, software and other very essential | | | | they are eligible for a decent proton treatment and |
| facilities for cancer treatment. | | | | how to reach the clinics in the US and Europe. As a |
| The equipment itself is in a dilapidated and out-thorn | | | | result, the advantages of the proton therapy is |
| state. The reason is simple: the laboratories need huge | | | | deliberately hidden from potential clients. |
| maintenance money. Built in 60-ties and 70-ties, when | | | | |