The Varian ProBeam proton therapy facility at Hefei Ion Medical Center. [Photo/WeChat account: hefeigaoxinfabu]

The Ion Medical Center of Anhui Provincial Hospital (Hefei Ion Medical Center) on Dec 17 officially launched clinical trials of Varian ProBeam proton therapy facility to treat tumor patients.

Proton therapy is an advanced form of radiation therapy that uses protons to send high-energy beams to treat tumors. It can deliver cancer-killing power concentrated on tumors with minimal harm to surrounding healthy tissue, causing fewer side effects compared with traditional treatments.

The therapy is used to treat cancerous and non-cancerous tumors, especially in sensitive areas such as the brain, eyes, spinal cord, heart, major blood vessels and nerves.

Hefei Ion Medical Center is an international cancer treatment center focusing on the most advanced treatment technologies for proton and photon therapies. It is located in Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone, Hefei, East China's Anhui province.