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Scientists work on new frontier in cancer treatment

Пресса о проекте

MIDDLETON — Behind thick concrete walls in the MIT-Bates Linear Accelerator complex, local scientists are working with their Russian counterparts to revolutionize cancer treatment. They're testing a sleek new proton therapy machine, and already it's proving more capable than its predecessors, said Stephen Spotts, CEO of ProTom International, which is shepherding the device through its evaluation and marketing. Spotts partnered with the scientists at the local facility near Middleton Jail. The new machine offers better control in some cancer treatments and promises to be one-quarter the size and cost of its predecessors, Spotts said. The device hurls tiny chunks of atoms at high speed into tumors, where radiation destroys the cancer. There are six operating centers in the United States. Spotts' Texan accent meshes oddly with those of the Middleton-based scientists and the Russian physicists and technicians. The group has reassembled some 20 tons of equipment, tested it, tweaked it, and is now working on getting federal Food and Drug Administration approval.

Why did you bring this to Middleton's Bates center?

There are two or three places in the United States where we could have found relative experience, but this was by far the best. ... We have the first functioning small-footprint neutron accelerator in the world, and that's proven by arguably the best experts in the world.

What does the collaboration between Bates and Russian scientists mean?

Literally within the first week, they said to Russian professor Vladimir E. Balakin, "Have you thought about XYZ vacuum pump for this?" In some ways, this was a little thing, but it was the beginning.

What is that collaboration like?

All of the Bates people tell me we are really impressed with what this team in Protvino, Russia, have done. And they have really come together to collaborate. You have people who are very smart and very experienced. ... Now we've got a collective intellectual team that's working well together.

What happens after FDA approval?

Our objective is to be in our first clinical (hospital) site in late 2010. The objective ultimately is not to have a fun lab toy but to have a cancer treatment.

You've been meeting with hospital representatives. How is that going?

These hospitals are interested in proton therapy as part of their radiation treatments. Now we're bringing in their physicists, their doctors, and they're like, "Show me."

What effect does the economy have on the market for this?

A year ago I would have said there would ultimately be 100, maybe 150 proton therapy centers in the United States. ... Now here we are in a worldwide economic crisis, even major hospitals are looking at capital costs. Is it going to be 30? 50? 75? Time will tell.

Why is this a good product to be selling?

We're bringing to market technology for cancer treatment that is lower cost and ultimately will lower the cost of care. And I think that's an intent of the Obama administration. People still get sick, people still get cancer, and the thing about American health care and American business is, we want to make it better.

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