Radiotherapy center glut feared / Experts wonder if investment in latest cancer treatment facilities will pay off

Radiotherapy center glut feared / Experts wonder if investment in latest cancer treatment facilities will pay off
The Yomiuri Shimbun

Facilities that provide particle beam radiation therapy for cancer patients are being planned or envisioned at more than 15 locations nationwide, with some experts concerned that a future glut in facilities could lead to a costly scramble to attract patients.

Radiation therapy using particle beams comprising heavy ions and protons is believed highly effective in treating cancer as it can specifically target tumors. But experts wonder whether the massive investment to build such facilities, where patients will be asked to bear a huge amount in treatment fees, will actually pay off.

The Japan Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology will discuss the need for particle beam treatment facilities at a meeting scheduled to begin in Fukuoka on Thursday.

The number of cancer patients is increasing as society grays. Every year, more than 500,000 people are believed to develop cancer.
Under such circumstances, public attention is focused on radiation treatment as it reduces the need for surgery. Particle beams are said to be especially effective in treating prostate cancer and early stage lung cancer. Particle beams also are said to work well in treating osteosarcoma and malignant melanoma--tumors that are difficult to treat with conventional methods.

There are currently six particle beam radiation facilities in the country, including the National Institute of Radiological Sciences in Chiba Prefecture and the Hyogo Ion Beam Medical Center in Hyogo Prefecture.
Because particle beam irradiation treatment is not covered by national health insurance, people receiving treatment will on average have to pay about 3 million yen.

In addition to the six existing facilities, Gunma University and a private hospital in Fukushima Prefecture have started constructing such facilities, while both the Fukui prefectural government and a private hospital in Kagoshima Prefecture have ordered particle beam systems. In addition, plans are afoot to build 10 more facilities.

Some facilities will be in direct competition with each other.
In Kanagawa Prefecture, the prefectural government and a private hospital are separately planning to build heavy ion beam facilities. In Aichi Prefecture, the Nagoya city government plans to build a proton irradiation facility while the prefectural government is backing a private-sector plan to build a heavy ion beam facility.

Particle beam irradiation is expected to be highly effective to treat elderly cancer patients otherwise unable to endure surgery. Growing interest from medical institutions, local governments and financial institutions in the treatment method is believed to have pushed up the number of plans to build such facilities.

However, construction and equipment costs for such facilities are colossal.

For instance, Gunma University will spend 12.5 billion yen to build its facility. The facility ordered by the Fukui prefectural government is estimated to cost about 8 billion yen.

While certain cancers are only treatable with particle beam therapy, some experts have pointed out that the number of cancer patients that will need such treatment should be taken into account.

Hirohiko Tsujii, who heads the Research Center for Charged Particle Therapy at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences, believes 10 to 20 particle beam treatment facilities may be needed. Tsujii made the projection based on treatment needed by more than 10,000 to 25,000 patients, with each facility to treat 1,000 patients a year.

However, conventional radiation treatment outside of particle beam treatment has proved highly effective in treating lung and prostate cancer.

Kyoto University Prof. Masahiro Hiraoka argues that only several thousand patients specifically need particle beam treatment, a figure that could be handled by existing facilities and those under construction.

"There's a concern of a major overcapacity if all planned facilities are constructed," Hiraoka said.
(Dec. 11, 2007)