Facing cancer? The McLaren Proton Therapy Center delivers the most precise radiation treatment available. Our expert team tailors care to each patient.
Proton therapy targets tumors with unmatched accuracy, stopping radiation at the tumor instead of passing through the body. This reduces damage to healthy tissue, leading to fewer side effects and complications.
With a quick, noninvasive treatment process, most patients continue daily activities with minimal disruption. Experience the future of radiation therapy—effective, precise, and patient-friendly.
McLaren’s key proton-therapy advances:
Pencil-beam scanning: Millimeter-wide proton beams conform tightly to tumors, sparing healthy tissue.
360° targeting: Isocentric gantries and robotic positioning deliver sub-millimeter precision from any angle.
High-energy accelerator: Beams up to 250 MeV minimize scatter, reducing exposure to surrounding organs.
Comfortable, low- or no-cost overnight housing and shared spaces to support out-of-town patients & caregivers.
“Proton therapy at McLaren helped me overcome my cancer with minimal downtime.”
“As a veteran, I appreciated the expertise and compassion of the staff here.”
“I have a son and he’s only six now and I want to be around as long as I can for him.”
“I was going to lose my eyesight, so I was referred to Dr. Gayar, and when I met with him, he said he could help me.”
“The staff are exceptional in every way. By the time I finished they were like friends.”
“The staff, the treatment, the prognosis, there’s no other place to be in my eyes.”
Proton therapy is the most technologically advanced method to deliver radiation treatments to cancerous tumors available today. A large machine called a synchrotron extracts protons from hydrogen atoms, accelerating them to almost the speed of light, and delivering the radiation with pinpoint accuracy. The unique characteristics of how protons interact within the human body allow it to deliver curative radiation doses while reducing doses to healthy tissues and organs, resulting in fewer complications and side effects than standard radiation therapy.
Proton therapy is a highly targeted, precise radiation therapy that allows physicians to aim the highest dose of radiation at the tumor while avoiding healthy surrounding tissues. It is especially effective for cancerous tumors in sensitive areas. In addition, proton therapy is non-invasive and may reduce side effects, allowing patients to maintain their quality of life during and after treatment.
Proton therapy can treat all solid-tumor cancers, including breast, colorectal, lung, brain, head and neck and prostate cancer. It benefits patients whose tumors are solid with defined borders, meaning the cancer has not spread to other parts of the body. Proton therapy is often the only choice when treating tumors that were previously irradiated (i.e., treated with conventional radiation). Proton therapy is sometimes used in combination with surgery and/or chemotherapy. It may be used instead of surgery in some cases, making it ideal for inoperable tumors. If you have a cancer where it is likely to be effective, we will evaluate your diagnosis to find the best option.
Proton therapy leads to the potential for fewer harmful side effects. For some patients, this makes proton therapy a unique treatment choice. Protons slowly deposit energy as they travel toward the cancerous tumor, depositing the majority of the radiation dose directly into the tumor, and traveling no further through the body. This results in fewer healthy tissues and organs receiving unnecessary radiation, thereby reducing unwanted complications and side effects. Standard radiation therapy uses X-rays, which deposits the majority of the radiation dose immediately upon entering the body on the way to the tumor. And unlike protons, X-rays continue traveling through the body after reaching the tumor until they exit out the other side. This results in the delivery of unnecessary radiation to healthy tissues and organs. Simply put, protons STOP after depositing the radiation dose in the tumor; X-rays do not.
The McLaren Proton Therapy Center, part of the Karmanos Cancer Network, offers comprehensive treatment and diagnosis services for cancer patients in Flint, Michigan.This allows us not only to offer the latest generation of advanced technologies to fight cancers, but also to provide a comprehensive set of services that cancer patients need, all under one roof. The proton pencil-beam scanning available at the McLaren Proton Therapy Center is the ideal technology for treating irregularly shaped tumors near sensitive areas. In addition, our pencil-beam scanning capability makes it possible for us to offer intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT). IMPT is a highly specialized proton therapy that delivers a precise dose of protons, often to constrained targets.
You do not have to have a doctor’s referral. Please contact us to see if proton therapy is right for you.
Medicare and most major insurance carriers in the U.S. cover proton therapy. The McLaren Proton Therapy physicians and staff can answer your questions, and they will advocate on your behalf with your insurance company.
For all types of radiation treatment, the number of treatments will vary based on your type of cancer and your particular tumor. Proton therapy is very precise, reducing side effects which helps you maintain quality of life during and after treatment.
The timing and duration of treatment varies, depending on the patient and type of cancer. The treatment sessions typically last for 20 to 40 minutes. The complete course of treatment may range from five to 44 sessions (one session a day), for between five days and eight weeks (Monday through Friday).
The side effects vary by the type of cancer. Proton therapy may have fewer side effects than traditional X-ray radiation, which allows patients to maintain their current quality of life during and after treatment.
No. The side effects of our proton therapy treatments are minimal and should not keep you from working.
The need for altering your diet depends on the location of your cancer. Your cancer is specific to you. We examine your cancer and give you a recommendation.
If you are within 1 ½ -2 hours from the Proton Therapy Center, you could probably drive in each day, but some patients may choose to temporarily relocate to the area. The McLaren Hospitality House, located on the campus of the McLaren Proton Therapy Center, provides convenient, comfortable and low-cost lodging for patients and families, complete with kitchen and laundry facilities. Our patient support services team can provide information about the McLaren Hospitality House and the surrounding area.
The McLaren Hospitality House, located on the campus of the McLaren Proton Therapy Center, provides convenient, comfortable and low-cost lodging for patients and families, complete with kitchen and laundry facilities. Our patient support services team can provide information about the McLaren Hospitality House and the surrounding area.
We work closely with your medical oncologist and other healthcare providers to coordinate your overall care. When your treatment is completed, you may return to your local physician for most follow-up care.
