A report from market research firm KLAS suggests that concerns about market saturation and the estimated cost of $150 million to $200 million to build proton therapy centers will inhibit their proliferation in the U.S. over the next five years.
Return on investment for proton therapy sites was listed as a concern due to the technology's patient referral base, staffing requirements, and ongoing maintenance costs, according to the author of the report, Monique Rasband, KLAS' oncology research director.
The newly published report, titled "Proton Therapy 2012: Dollars, Decisions, and Debates," includes interviews with 99 healthcare providers, the majority of whom were medical physicists (39%), directors and managers of oncology departments (25%), or C-level executives (20%). They represented a mix of hospitals (67%) and clinics (33%).
Many providers felt that clinical data comparing proton therapy's effectiveness with other less expensive forms of treatment are limited because there are only 10 centers in operation in the U.S. However, the use of proton therapy for children was strongly endorsed because it spares more healthy tissue compared to photon-based radiation therapy. Participants interviewed also felt it was appropriate for treating tumors near critical structures such as the eye and the spinal cord.
The introduction of single-vault proton therapy systems costing approximately $25 million may positively affect investment in additional centers, the report noted; Mevion Medical Systems is currently building three such centers and has announced that it will build several more.
Ion Beam Applications (IBA) was named the most "proven" vendor, with its equipment in eight of the 10 operating proton therapy centers in the U.S. Radiation oncology firm Elekta was named "software leader," with most sites using its oncology information systems and treatment planning software.
