Now, Stanford Medicine and the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System have announced a collaboration to establish the nation’s first center to deliver hadron therapy to cancer patients. Hadron therapy — which relies on beams of charged particles like protons, carbon, helium and other ions — is expected to increase cancer cure rates because it can treat multiple tumors or those resistant to conventional radiotherapy, while also limiting adverse side effects.

“Through our precision health vision, Stanford Medicine is committed to providing more personalized health care that is tailored to each individual,” said Lloyd Minor, MD, dean of the Stanford School of Medicine. “Planning for the hadron center embodies this commitment, as we seek to identify optimal ways to offer targeted treatment that both reduces harm and promotes healing.”

The collaboration will be announced at an event today at the White House as part of Vice President Joseph Biden’s Cancer Moonshot initiative. At the event, the vice president will share the Moonshot Committee’s report and highlight a few examples, including the proposed hadron center, that support the moonshot’s objectives.

Killing tumors with charged particles

Hadron therapy uses beams of charged particles like protons, carbon ions and other ions to kill tumor tissue. Unlike photons or electrons, which release energy along the length of their path, the charged particles deliver most of their damaging energy in one burst inside the tumor. They are more effective at damaging DNA inside of cancer cells, and some studies have suggested they can effectively incite an immune response against the tumor. Charged particle beams can also be shaped to treat tumors of various sizes and shapes.

There are about 10 carbon-based hadron therapy centers in the world, but none in the United States. The center is expected to be located on the grounds of the VA-Palo Alto. If all goes well, the collaborators hope to begin treating cancer patients in about four years.

“Hadron therapy represents a new way forward in cancer care,” said David Entwistle, president and CEO of Stanford Health Care. “Stanford Medicine is honored to collaborate with the VAPAHCS to bring this therapy to our patients, giving them unprecedented access to the latest cancer science and treatment.”

VA Secretary Robert McDonald said, “We are excited to further expand our current partnership with Stanford Medicine and explore ways to continue taking veterans’ health care into the 21st century. The state-of-the-art hadron center would not only improve the lives of those affected by cancer, but further demonstrate VA’s ability to partner on pioneering innovation and exceptional health care.”