Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) installed the first proton therapy system in the Mountain West in late March 2020. This accelerator—a powerful cancer-fighting tool—steers radiation to a precise location with pencil-beam scanning, which preserves healthy tissues.

"Patients with tumors close to critical organs and pediatric cancer patients can benefit the most from this advanced treatment," says Bill Salter, PhD, director of radiation oncology at HCI and professor and chief of the division of medical physics at the U of U. "The system will be a powerful new addition to HCI’s already formidable suite of treatment tools."

HCI plans to start providing proton therapy to patients later this year.