Huntsman announces plans to double size, capacity of its proton treatment center

The Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah has announced plans to double the size and treatment capacity of its Senator Orrin G. Hatch Proton Therapy Center. The center is the only hospital offering proton cancer therapy in the Intermountain West and serves patients from Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada and Wyoming. 

Proton therapy is like traditional radiation therapy in that it uses invisible, high-energy beams to treat cancer. However, proton therapy is more precise. The radiation beam targets the cancer and stops at the tumor, causing less damage to healthy tissues. This makes it an especially appealing cancer treatment option for certain pediatric patients, who make up roughly one-third of Huntsman Cancer Institute’s proton therapy recipients. It’s also used to treat cancers of the brain and spinal cord, among others.

The second proton unit will involve the construction of an approximately 9,000-square-foot, three-story cement building — known as a vault — which will house the treatment facility and the equipment necessary for proton therapy. The new vault will be built adjacent to Huntsman Cancer Institute’s existing proton unit, located on campus at the UofU as part of the university’s health care system. The original unit opened
in 2021.

“Since then, we’ve been able to offer this specialized radiation service to numerous pediatric and adult patients. Due to the success and rapid growth of our proton therapy service, we needed to limit this technology to only select types of cancer,” said Dr. Matthew Poppe, fellow of the American Society for Radiation Oncology and clinical director of the Proton Therapy Center. The investigator at the Huntsman Cancer Institute is also a professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the UofU. “With this expansion, we will double our treatment capacity, allowing a greater proportion of our patients to use this innovative technology,”
he continued.

“Building a new proton therapy vault is a game-changer for Huntsman Cancer Institute. With only one vault, we’ve had to be highly selective — treating patients who we believe will benefit most from this advanced therapy,” said Dr. Amit Maity, professor and chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology. “Adding a second unit will significantly expand our capacity, allowing us to treat more patients and explore partnerships with affiliates and other hospitals. It’s an exciting step toward making precision radiation therapy more accessible across our region.”

The nearest alternative proton centers are located hundreds of miles from Salt Lake City — in Phoenix, Seattle or San Diego. Poppe says these locations have served as overflow referral centers when Huntsman Cancer Institute has exceeded capacity.

“That places a huge additional travel burden on our patients,” said Poppe. “The construction of our second vault will allow all Mountain West patients who need proton therapy to receive it closer to home, without disrupting their coordinated multidisciplinary care.”

With the expansion, Huntsman Cancer Institute physicians hope to treat additional cancers, including head and neck cancers and breast cancer.

The construction project, funded by Huntsman Cancer Institute, is expected to be completed in two and a half years.

“This is a major investment in the future of leading-edge cancer care in Utah and the Mountain West. It is a powerful step forward to serve our patients and communities and meet the needs of a growing population,” said Mary Beckerle, CEO of the Huntsman Cancer Institute. “This project represents our unwavering commitment both to innovation, and to every person who walks through our doors seeking healing.”