The Johns Hopkins Proton Therapy Center in Washington, D.C. recently observed two significant milestones – its two-year anniversary and the treatment of more than 500 patients.

Located on the campus of Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C., the 80,000 square foot facility provides adult and pediatric patients with access to highly targeted cancer treatment that spares nearby healthy tissues and organs, potentially reducing side effects and the risk of recurrence. This is particularly important for children, who may have lasting side effects from traditional cancer treatments.

“The Johns Hopkins Proton Therapy Center treated its first patient on October 25, 2019. Since then, the staff has performed more than 13,000 fractions and treated over 500 pediatric and adult patients from the national capital region, mid-Atlantic and around the globe,” noted Curtiland Deville Jr., M.D., Medical Director of the Johns Hopkins Proton Therapy Center.

The center is one of the few in the world—and the only one in the Washington, D.C., region—with a dedicated pediatric team specializing in the care of young oncology patients. The team delivers compassionate, patient- and family-centered care in collaboration with its partners at Children’s National Hospital and the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center’s Division of Pediatric Oncology.

“Since opening just over two years ago, the Johns Hopkins Proton Therapy Center has treated patients with a number of increasingly complex cases using advanced proton therapy techniques,” Dr. Deville said. “These include mesothelioma, pancreatic and liver cancers, tumors of the brain and spinal cord, and tumors located near the heart and major blood vessels.”

“I am honored to work with a multidisciplinary team of professionals dedicated to the care and treatment of our individual patients,” added Akila Viswanathan, M.D., M.P.H., M.Sc., Director of Johns Hopkins Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences. “Our team members have experience in physics, molecular radiation sciences, radiation oncology, medical oncology, cancer biology, engineering, quantitative sciences and other specialty areas that sets the Johns Hopkins Proton Therapy Center apart from other centers.”