Worcester, Mass.-based UMass Memorial Health has received approval from state regulators to build a $54 million cancer care facility that will offer proton therapy.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Public Health Council approved the health system’s request to develop a proton therapy center in Marlborough, Mass., Dec. 10. Officials with UMass Memorial Health said they anticipate patients to begin receiving treatment at the facility in February 2028.
“Today’s vote marks a major milestone for our patients, their loved ones and our caregivers, who understand the transformative impact of providing this lifesaving treatment to the communities we serve,” a spokesperson for the health system said in a statement to Becker’s.
“As the incidence of cancer cases rises in Central Massachusetts and throughout the state, we’re committed to remaining a leader in clinical innovation. This project is a critical component of improving the health and quality of life of the patients that entrust us with their care.”
Upon opening, it will be the second facility in the Commonwealth and the wider New England region to offer proton therapy, which targets tumors more precisely than traditional radiation therapy and reduces the risk of damage to healthy tissues. Two proton therapy units currently operate in New England, both at Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital. About 640 patients are treated with the units annually, according to a Dec. 10 report from WBUR.
UMass Memorial Health leaders said the new center will reduce out-of-pocket travel costs for local patients, eliminating the need for them to travel to other states for advanced treatment.
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