Seoul Asan Medical Center will introduce a 'particle therapy device,' also known as 'the dream cancer treatment device.' The goal is to have it operational by 2031.
Seoul Asan Medical Center announced that it signed a contract on the 7th with a consortium including Toshiba ESS-DK Medical Solutions to introduce the particle therapy device.
The particle therapy device is the latest technology among radiation treatment methods. It accelerates carbon atoms to the speed of light and projects them onto cancer tissue. Since particles are 12 times heavier than the hydrogen particles used in proton therapy, they have a superior ability to destroy cancer cells. It can attack cancer cells more precisely and aggressively than radiation therapy or proton therapy.
In South Korea, Yonsei Medical Center was the first to introduce this technology, beginning particle therapy at Yonsei Cancer Center in April 2023. The introduction expense and treatment expense of particle therapy devices are high, so only about 10 facilities in Japan and Europe have adopted them.
Seoul Asan Medical Center stated that it plans to introduce a state-of-the-art particle therapy device that has a wider particle beam irradiation range and higher dosage rates than existing treatment devices. This will allow for a broader range of treatments in a shorter time, reducing patient burden.
The hospital plans to equip itself with futuristic multi-ion beam equipment. This device will use not only carbon ions but also various particles such as helium, neon, and oxygen to minimize damage to normal tissues and effectively remove resistant tumors, making it applicable for pediatric tumors.
A hospital official noted, 'The particle therapy device can be applied to cancer types that are resistant to existing treatments, including prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, sarcoma, kidney cancer, and recurrent cancer, making it the optimal treatment method for patients with refractory cancers.'
Seoul Asan Medical Center will establish the particle therapy facility in the Pungnap-dong campus in Songpa-gu, Seoul, with a total floor area of 40,880 square meters (approximately 12,388 pyeong). The hospital explained, 'We will introduce two rotational treatment devices and one fixed treatment device to create a state-of-the-art treatment environment.'
It is known that several institutions and local governments previously expressed hopes and proposals for the establishment of the Seoul Asan Medical Center particle therapy facility. The hospital stated, 'Considering patient convenience, medical research linked to clinical treatment, and community development, we decided to install it at the Pungnap-dong campus.'
Park Seung-il, president of Seoul Asan Medical Center, said, 'Once the particle therapy device is introduced in 2031, we will have the largest advanced cancer treatment facility in the country, and we will do our best to expand treatment opportunities for patients with refractory cancers and contribute to the improvement of cancer treatment standards in South Korea.'