In the News

Kimmel Cancer Center at Sibley Opens

The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Sibley Memorial Hospital opened in August 2016 adding medical oncology and surgical oncology to the already established and growing Radiation Oncology Program. The 36, 000 square foot facility brings patients the most advanced radiation thereapy technologies, latest techniques and innovative treatments - the same techniques and technologies used throughout the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center.

The Johns Hopkins National Proton Therapy Center at Sibley Memorial Hospital

Johns Hopkins will open one of only 20 proton therapy centers in the nation at Sibley.  Construction of an 80,000 square foot proton facility is currently underway and expected to be completed in 2019. The Hopkins facility will be the most state-of-the-art available in the United States.

Proton therapy is a form of targeted radiation treatment that very precisely zeroes in on tumors, increasing the damage to cancer cells, while minimizing radiation exposure and damage to healthy tissue and organs. This is particularly important in the treatment of children, who often suffer lasting side effects from toxic cancer treatments. Because of its precision, proton therapy makes it possible to treat cancers near delicate organs, such as the spinal cord and heart, and offers a new treatment approach for recurrent cancers. Proton therapy provides an effective and safe way to treat cancers that present a challenge because of their location in the body, such as brain cancer and cancers in the eye, base of skull and neck.

“Proton therapy will amplify our ability to provide the most advanced care to all patients, from children to the elderly, and allow us to extend this care to more patients through partnership with our collaborators,” says Akila Viswanathan, M.D., M.P.H., National Capital Region Director of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences.