Tampa, Fla.-based St. Joseph's Hospital Cancer, part of Clearwater, Fla.-based BayCare Health System, is investing $33 million in a new radiation treatment facility.
The facility will provide proton therapy to cancer patients. Proton therapy is designed to deliver precise radiation treatment to tumors. The facility, which the health system claims is the first of its kind in the Tampa Bay area, is set to open by fall 2025, according to a Nov. 2 BayCare news release.
The therapy is designed to decrease side effects and lower the risk of secondary malignancies.
"Proton therapy is the most technologically advanced type of cancer treatment and is proven to improve outcomes in cancer care; however, it is not yet widely available," BayCare President and CEO Stephanie Conners said in the news release. "BayCare is bringing the first proton radiation therapy center to Tampa, so patients in our community don't have to drive to Orlando or beyond to get this level of high-quality care."