First Cancer Patient Treated with Varian ProBeam Compact Proton Therapy System at Treatment Center in Florida

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Nov 18, 2019, 08:15 ET

PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Varian (NYSE: VAR) today announced the South Florida Proton Therapy Institute (SFPTI), a Proton International facility, on the campus of Delray Medical Center, has treated its first patient utilizing the Varian ProBeam^® Compact single-room proton therapy system. Proton therapy can be used to treat many types of tumors including in the brain, head and neck, central nervous system and lung, and more precisely targets cancer cells while reducing side effects, minimizing risk to surrounding tissue and organs.

"Proton therapy is the latest and by far the most advanced radiation treatment available, and at SFPTI we use these highly precise particle beams instead of traditional x-rays to treat tumors more precisely, with much less exposure to the surrounding normal tissues," said Tim Williams medical director, SFPTI. "Proton therapy can be used to treat children with cancer as well as adult tumors of the brain, spine, head and neck, lung, prostate, GI tract, and breast tumors. I am truly grateful to finally be able to make this long-standing vision of bringing this world-class technology to south Florida a reality."

"We are proud of the partnership between Varian, SFPTI and Proton International to help bring this advanced treatment technology to more cancer patients who are in need of this life-saving therapy," said Kolleen Kennedy, president, Proton Solutions and chief growth officer at Varian. "This first patient treatment is another important step in the growing availability of proton therapy for more patients and continues Varian's mission of creating a world without fear of cancer."

Proton therapy uses protons, accelerated to about two-thirds the speed of light, or more than 100,000 miles per second, to destroy cancer cells, while minimizing exposure to nearby healthy tissues. SFPTI will treat a variety of oncology patients with the Varian system, including brain and spine, head and neck, breast, liver, lung, pancreatic, prostate and pediatric cancers.

Currently 27 leading proton centers have selected the Varian solution, 12 of the centers are in clinical operation and eight more are expected to begin treating patients within the next 12 months. To learn more about the Varian proton therapy solutions, visit https://www.varian.com/oncology/solutions/proton-therapy.

About South Florida Proton Therapy Institute
The South Florida Proton Therapy Institute (SFPTI), a Proton International facility, is a radiation oncology center that opened in 2018 on the campus of Delray Medical Center. Led by Medical Director Tim R. Williams, M.D. and featuring the most innovative technology available, SFPTI provides those in Palm Beach County and the surrounding communities with a tremendous new resource in the fight against cancer. For more information, visit https://sfpti.com.

About Varian
At Varian (NYSE:VAR), we envision a world without fear of cancer. For more than 70 years, we have developed, built and delivered innovative cancer care technologies and solutions for our clinical partners around the globe to help them treat millions of patients each year. With an Intelligent Cancer Care approach, we are harnessing advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analytics to enhance cancer treatment and expand access to care. Our 9,200 employees across 70 countries keep the patient and our clinical partners at the center of our thinking as we power new victories in cancer care. Because, for cancer patients everywhere, their fight is our fight. For more information, visit http://www.varian.com and follow @VarianMedSys on Twitter.

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SOURCE Varian