LITTLETON, Mass, September 4th 2014 /Business Wire/ -- Mevion Medical Systems, announced today that MedStar Georgetown University Hospital has received final approval to begin construction of the first proton therapy center in Washington, D.C. at its Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. Georgetown Lombardi is the only cancer center in the D.C. area to earn the National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation as a comprehensive cancer center. The MEVION S250, the world’s smallest single room proton therapy system, is a revolutionary device that delivers the same precise, non-invasive treatment advantages and capabilities of larger, more expensive proton therapy systems but with a significantly reduced footprint, improved reliability, more efficient patient access, and dramatically lower implementation and operational costs.

Proton therapy is an advanced form of external radiation treatment that aims a powerful beam of protons at a tumor with incredible accuracy. Because of the special properties of protons, treatments result in less damage to surrounding healthy tissue and a reduced risk of secondary malignancies. Proton therapy is commonly used to treat a wide range of cancers in sensitive locations, such as the central nervous system, chest, head and neck, eye, and prostate. This advanced form of radiation is extremely valuable for the treatment of cancer in pediatric patients who can be more prone to complications from radiation treatment

Construction is scheduled to start in the fall, with installation of the MEVION S250 to be complete in 2016.

“The addition of proton therapy to our experienced and internationally known cancer program is a natural progression for us as the only provider in the region with a long history of serving both children as well as adults with cancer,” said Richard Goldberg, MD, president, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. “We are excited to bring this important technology to our community and to give our patients yet another cutting-edge cancer treatment option.”

“The MEVION S250 proton therapy system provides a significant benefit to cancer patients while redefining the economics and accessibility of proton therapy,” said Joseph K. Jachinowski, president and chief executive officer of Mevion Medical Systems. “We are proud to bring the most advanced radiation therapy device to our nation’s capital and another leading healthcare institution.”

The MEVION S250 also is installed at the Kling Proton Therapy Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, benefiting pediatric patients and other cancer patients. Five additional MEVION S250 proton therapy systems are under installation at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ; Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City, OK; First Coast Oncology in Jacksonville, FL; University of Florida Health Cancer Center at Orlando Health; and University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland, OH, making Mevion Medical Systems a leading supplier of proton therapy in the United States.

About Mevion Medical Systems

Mevion Medical Systems, Inc. is a radiation therapy company dedicated to advancing the treatment of cancer. As a pioneering developer of proton therapy systems, Mevion provides innovative, safe and effective solutions by transforming advances in medical technology and science into practical clinical reality.

Mevion’s flagship product, the MEVION S250 Proton Therapy System, is designed to preserve all of the treatment benefits of traditional proton therapy systems while removing the obstacles of size, cost, and complexity. Realizing this vision, Mevion has forever changed the economics and accessibility of proton therapy worldwide.
Founded in 2004, Mevion is a privately held company headquartered in the Boston metropolitan area with international offices in the United Kingdom and Japan.
Visit us at: www.mevion.com.

Medical Contact & Source:
Tom Langford 
E: tom.langford@fkhealth.com
P: 617-761-6775
High-resolution photos available

About MedStar Georgetown University Hospital

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital is a not-for-profit, acute-care teaching and research hospital with 609 beds located in Northwest Washington, D.C. Founded in the Jesuit principle of cura personalis—caring for the whole person—MedStar Georgetown is committed to offering a variety of innovative diagnostic and treatment options within a trusting and compassionate environment.

MedStar Georgetown’s centers of excellence include neurosciences, transplant, cancer and gastroenterology. Along with Magnet® nurses, internationally recognized physicians, advanced research and cutting-edge technologies, MedStar Georgetown’s healthcare professionals have a reputation for medical excellence and leadership.

About Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center

Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of Georgetown University Medical Center and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, seeks to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer through innovative basic and clinical research, patient care, community education and outreach, and the training of cancer specialists of the future. Georgetown Lombardi is one of only 41 comprehensive cancer centers in the nation, as designated by the National Cancer Institute (grant #P30 CA051008), and the only one in the Washington, DC area. For more information, go to http://lombardi.georgetown.edu.