Southwest Florida Proton marked a construction milestone in its development while announcing a unique partnership between local radiation oncologists, Lee Healthcare Holdings (LHH), a wholly owned subsidiary of Lee Health, and investors focused on enhancing cancer care.
According to the U.S. Census, 31.3% of the population in Southwest Florida is 65 years of age and older, making the five-county area one of the regions with the highest percentage of seniors in the country.
“The risks for developing many types of cancers increases as we age, and although cancer care has improved in Southwest Florida, the region lacks one of the most powerful, advanced forms of radiation therapy – proton therapy,” said Dr. Arie Dosoretz, a founding partner of Advocate Radiation Oncology who is helping to develop Southwest Florida Proton. “Residents of Naples, Fort Myers, Sanibel, Port Charlotte and visitors alike deserve access to every tool that we have in our cancer-fighting arsenal.”
Florida is home to six of the nation’s 42 proton therapy centers. Two are in Miami and two are in Jacksonville, while Orlando and Delray Beach are each home to one proton therapy center.
Proton therapy is an advanced form of radiation therapy that uses charged proton particles to destroy cancer cells. Protons have the unique ability to travel to a target and not beyond it, which can reduce potential side effects and complications during and after cancer treatments.
At a June 14 event to celebrate pouring the foundation’s final slab, Dosoretz announced that Lee Health will provide a radiology suite with Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CR) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) capabilities and Advocate Radiation Oncology will provide physician services at Southwest Florida Proton.
Southwest Florida Proton’s estimated construction and capital cost exceeds $80 million. The 35,000-square-foot medical building is positioned in Estero, halfway between Naples and Fort Myers, offering easy access to Southwest Florida International Airport.
The centerpiece of Southwest Florida Proton will be Ion Beam Application’s ProteusONE, a machine that delivers the most clinically advanced form of proton radiation therapy. In addition to diagnostic imaging capabilities, the building also will house exam rooms, administrative offices and other spaces.
According to the National Association for Proton Therapy, proton therapy is an effective treatment option for cancers of the brain and spine, breast, esophagus, head and neck, liver, lung, eye, pancreas and prostate, as well as lymphomas and soft tissue sarcomas. Studies indicate that proton therapy can be a safe option for patients that have undergone prior radiation treatment and can reduce the long-term risks of radiation in pediatric cancer patients.
Construction on Southwest Florida Proton is expected to continue into 2024.