The Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board has deferred consideration of Central DuPage Hospital and ProCure Treatment Centers’ Certificate of Need application to build a proton therapy treatment center in Warrenville.

The Planning Board made the move in order to more carefully review material submitted by the applicants. The Certificate of Need application to build the proton treatment center is expected to be on the board’s September agenda. 

Representatives from CDH; Radiation Oncology Consultations, Ltd.; and ProCure said they are discouraged, but undeterred in their mission to develop a proton therapy center.

Jim Spear, executive vice president and chief financial officer of CDH said, “This is an unfortunate delay; and we have every intention of continuing to prove our case so the board approves this center.

“We’re certainly disappointed; however, we appreciate that the board is taking the time to thoroughly consider the additional information pertaining to our project.”

“For every month of delay, 125 patients lose out on the opportunity to be treated with proton therapy,” said William Hartsell, M.D., president of ROCL. “More centers mean more patients have access to proton therapy; and that is what we believe the focus should be,”

The proposed Proton Therapy Center of Central DuPage Hospital is a joint venture involving CDH, ProCure and ROC, a radiation oncology physician group.

Hadley Ford, chief executive officer of ProCure Treatment Centers, added, “There is no question that the need for proton therapy in Illinois and across the country far surpasses the capacity right now and that multiple centers should be built.”

Experts estimate that every year, more than 10,000 Illinois cancer patients – and 250,000 nationwide— would be candidates for proton therapy. Studies have shown proton therapy to be effective in treating brain, breast, colorectal, head and neck, lung and prostate cancer. Proton therapy can be effective in treating children, who are more sensitive to the effects of radiation than adults. There are several proton therapy centers under construction – including one in Illinois – but only five centers are operating in the United States, providing a maximum of 6,000 treatment slots per year.

The Proton Therapy Center of Central DuPage Hospital is proposed as a four-treatment room, 58,000-square-foot facility. It would be funded  through private sources, and use equipment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which regulates medical devices.
Learn about proton therapy and the Proton Therapy Center of Central DuPage Hospital at www.ProtonTherapyIllinois.com.