Definition of proton therapy: Proton therapy is based on the cancer-destroying effect of ion particles (mostly protons) in irradiated tumors located deep in the body. In this therapy, the cells of healthy tissues surrounding the tumor are not exposed to damage. That is why proton therapy is an effective method to cure tumors of vital organs (where conventional radiation therapy is detrimental to surrounding tissues). Proton therapy is highly effective in treating tumors of lung, brain, spine, prostate, cervix, eye, and other deep-lying organs.
Current state of things: The United States already has 7 operating proton therapy facilities where between 5000 to 10000 patients per year are treated for different cancer tumors. The US companies invest heavily into the building projects for new proton accelerators and clinics, expecting 3-4 more ready-to-accept-patients clinics during next couple of years. The Europeans have also started to build up their momentum in the same direction through the renovation of old facilities and installation of new facilities. One bright example is the brand new Rinecker Center in Munich built in 2009, which is the largest proton therapy clinic in Europe. In total there are, as for the end of 2009, around 5 proton clinics in Europe where around 1000 patients per year use the benefits of the curing effects of proton beams. The Russians officially claim to have 3 proton clinics, the first one in Dubna Nuclear Center (Moscow Region), the second one in S.Petersburg (former Leningrad), and the third one in Chernogolovka ITEP Laboratory (Moscow Region). The other CIS countries have none.
This article analyzes the current state of the proton therapy in Russia and CIS countries. From the official information available from the Internet, all three clinics operate very well and treat the cancer patients sent to them from the Cancer Research Institute after Blokhin (Moscow) and other cancer treatment institutes. During my recent trip to Moscow I revealed how the real situation differs bitterly from the true state of proton therapy clinics.
First of all, the claimed Russian clinics are not "a true clinic" at all. They look more like research laboratories with everything and everybody sharing the same room, and where the doctors and the technicians do their daily choirs. Among the doctors (this word is commonly used in Russia for surgeons) you can meet a nuclear physicist, who knows perfectly how to deliver and operate the proton beams, but has a limited, or next to zero, knowledge about the cancer tumor and what are the perils of miscalculated dosage delivered to the patients’ organ. In a similar way you might meet an oncologist who have no idea what the protons are, and how the beam interacts with the tumor. The worst thing, however, is the fact that there are no personnel certified by government and educated properly to run the proton beam controlling devices, computers, software and other very essential facilities for cancer treatment.
The equipment itself is in a dilapidated and out-thorn state. The reason is simple: the laboratories need huge maintenance money. Built in 60-ties and 70-ties, when the Soviet Union was a mighty country with strong interests in advanced projects, most of the equipment have been used for 20-30 years without a proper maintenance and thus need a thorough fixing and complete overhauling. The companies have no interest in investing money into this laboratories. That is why there are no Gantry tools with rotating proton beams in Russian proton laboratories. The Gantry device is considered to belong to the second generation of proton therapy tools, and is in the category of should-be-installed item in all Western proton therapy clinics.
The lack of money for the proton therapy laboratories is also a result of the unwillingness of traditional oncologists to recommend their patients, who are eligible to the proton therapy, the alternatives. Here is a quotation from my private conversation with one of such oncology-surgeon from the Blokhin Cancer Institute in Moscow: "I have a team of professional oncologists including chemotherapists, radiologists and surgeons. Their official salary is about $500 per month. So, when we have a patient with big pockets full of money, we will never recommend him to go other place for his treatment. Why should we? Nobody knows what the proton therapy is, and nobody cares".
And when I talked to the staff of the proton laboratories, their reply was like:"The cancer market here in Russia for the patients willing to pay for their treatment follows the "first-come-first-serve" rule, meaning that the oncologist who first takes in a rich patient, never tells his client all available options outside the clinic. Everybody needs money to survive and thus hunts for rich patients. Rich patients are treated super class under the supervision of the best traditional oncologists in Moscow. We, who work with protons, are not allowed to take in patients from the street. We can take in patients only with the recommendation papers from the cancer clinics. However, the cancer clinics are reluctant to send out their rich patients. They do so sometimes only when the patient had spent all his money on their traditional treatment methods". For information: the average (commercial) cost of a typical cancer therapy is around $20000 in Moscow, and a little less in CIS countries. The price for an ordinary proton therapy is not known because of the fact that no patient, who wills to pay for his treatment, had ever been recommended for a proton therapy.
Fortunately the Russian government has plans to develop the proton therapy facilities and has recently started the building projects for two Proton Therapy Clinics. They are sheduled to be ready to take in oncopatients by 2012-2013.
According to recent survey results of the cancer patient market in Russia and CIS, there are at least 1000 patients per year who are eligible for the proton therapy in Europe and the United States. These patients may afford to fully compensate their treatment costs which are usually above the $50000 price range. However, due to the lack of information about the proton therapy, and because of the unwillingness of traditional oncologists to lose their patients with big moneys, the patients, in most cases, have no clue about whether they are eligible for a decent proton treatment and how to reach the clinics in the US and Europe. As a result, the advantages of proton therapy is deliberately hidden from potential clients.
The Proton-Cancer LLC is Ohio-registered non-profit organization, provides information and mediation services to cancer patients from Russia and CIS countries. Our company started its advertisement business in Russia&CIS countries recently through the discussion of the advantages and benefits of alternative proton therapy over the traditional therapy treatments. We are strongly dedicated to the goal to give the cancer patients in Russia and CIS countries full information about the benefits of proton therapy. This information will help them to make a right choice when their health is on the stake.
Dr.Sci. Elshad Allahyarov
Executive Director
Proton-Cancer Therapy LLC
2646 Endicott Road
Cleveland, OH 44120, USA
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