RICHMOND, Va. – Attorney General Jason Miyares today issued an official Attorney General’s Opinion, at the request of Delegate A.C. Cordoza, on proton radiation therapy and health insurance coverage. Specifically, the opinion clarifies that Virginia law does not allow insurance carriers who provide coverage for cancer therapy to deny coverage for proton radiation therapy based on a higher standard of clinical evidence than what is used by the insurance company in making coverage determinations for other forms of cancer radiation therapy.
Proton radiation therapy is a groundbreaking nonsurgical advanced radiation technology, and is clinically proven to precisely treat tumors with minimal side effects while protecting nearby healthy tissue. Proton radiation is a different form of radiation than x-rays with very different effects on the human body.
The Hampton University Proton Cancer Institute is the largest standalone proton treatment center in the United States and has successfully helped more than 4,000 patients battle cancer. It was established in 2010 as a response to Hampton Roads’ high mortality rate of prostate and breast cancer. In addition, the Inova Department of Advanced Radiation Oncology and Proton Therapy, in Fairfax County, is the second proton therapy facility in Virginia.
The newly upgraded room will allow for faster and more efficient cancer treatment
Hampton, VA—The Hampton University Proton Cancer Institute (Hampton Proton) has started treating its first patient in its newly recommissioned Room 4 using pencil beam scanning. The upgrade of this room, which originally delivered treatment using uniform scanning via gantry, now allows the center to treat more efficiently with pencil beam proton therapy in two of its five treatment rooms. Currently, Hampton Proton is one of the only centers in the country to treat with this method in addition to uniform scanning and double scattering. In the coming years, the facility expects to begin treating patients in a seated position due to its collaboration with Leo Cancer Care.
The process of updating Room 4 to deliver pencil beam radiation took two and a half years, said Dr. Alejandro Carabe, Hampton Proton’s Chief Medical Physicist. The process took longer than anticipated because the facility had to acquire the necessary equipment and manpower; though, the key element was ensuring the center was still treating its scheduled patients.
“You need to make sure that the clinic runs exactly the way that it should [before] taking care of the commissioning process – that’s where a lot of the delay happens,” he said.
Now that Hampton Proton has two treatment rooms treating with pencil beam, it expects to see more patients being treated faster and more efficiently. The center currently has five treatment rooms, one of which is in the process of being converted to treat with Leo Cancer Care’s Marie system by 2026, pending FDA approval. The other two rooms currently treat uniform scattering and double scanning, which require the use of apertures and compensations to achieve precise delivery. Pencil beam may be preferred for certain types of cancers, which will be decided by one’s physician.
“Now that the center has another room delivering pencil beam radiation, we are able to see even more specialized cases and allow those patients to receive treatment even more efficiently,” said MaryBeth Sullivan, Hampton Proton Executive Director. “Allowing for another room to treat this way makes the planning process better for our dosimetrists and physicists because if more patients require this form of treatment, we can accommodate them much quicker. The reopening of Room 4 is a success for our physics and dosimetry team, our clinical operations staff, our patients and Hampton Proton’s future. Our goal is to deliver the number one patient experience, and this grand reopening is moving us in that direction.”
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About Hampton University Proton Cancer Institute (Hampton Proton)
The Hampton University Proton Cancer Institute (Hampton Proton), established in 2010, has successfully helped fight the cancers of more than 4,000 patients from across the globe. Located in Hampton, Virginia, Hampton Proton is the largest standalone proton treatment center in the country, and at its inception, was the eighth such center in the United States.
Proton therapy is universally accepted as a viable and effective method to treat many forms of cancer—one of the top killers in Virginia. It is a noninvasive option that precisely targets the tumor, sparing healthy tissue. At Hampton Proton, patients receive outpatient treatment in about 30 minutes, which means no hospital stays, allowing them to maintain their current lifestyle. The center treats several types of cancer, including breast, lung, prostate, head & neck, ocular, brain & spine, gastrointestinal and pediatric tumors.
Media Contact:
Lourdes Hernandez
Lourdes.Hernandez@hamptonproton.org
Chief Medical Physicist, Dr. Alejandro Carabe; Executive Director, MaryBeth Sullivan; and Medical Director, Dr. Christopher Sinesi participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially reopen Room 4.Members of the radiation therapy team pose prior to Room 4’s first treatment since reopening.Members of Hampton Proton’s physics and dosimetry team pose by Room 4 after the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Shuttle Pharmaceuticals Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: SHPH), a discovery and development stage specialty pharmaceutical company focused on improving the outcomes of cancer patients treated with radiation therapy (RT), today announced its commitment to improving outcomes for patients with prostate cancer through its participation in the Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute Prostate Cancer & Men’s Health Fair. The event, held on September 16, 2023 at Hampton University, is offering free early detection exams for prostate cancer. Dr. Tyvin Rich, Shuttle Pharmaceutical’s Chief Medical Officer, will also be present to discuss the Company’s research on prostate cancer diagnostics and health disparities.
HAMPTON, Va — On June 8, the Hampton University Proton Cancer Institute hosted a ceremony to commemorate the grand opening of its new patient garden, Emma’s Sensory Garden. The ceremony also featured a dedication to a former patient, Emma Lednick, who was also revealed to be the area’s namesake.
The event was attended by about 100 people, including Hampton Proton staff, patients, former patients and other members of the community.
“This has been in the works for a few months now and it’s been something I have thought about over the last three years,” said Tiffany Rodgers, Director of Marketing at Hampton Proton. “I really believe and know the importance of mindfulness, stillness and nature, and how they can be used to fuel your mind, body and soul. So, I wanted patients and staff to have an area they can go to fill their own cups.”
Emma Lednick is a patient of Dr. Tyvin Rich, one of the radiation oncologists at Hampton Proton. Her son, Shawn Lednick, is the president of Proton Systems, one of the institute’s primary vendors since its inception. He also constructed the raised plant beds featured in Emma’s Sensory Garden.
“I began to think about a patient named Emma that has been treated here since 2012 and just got emotionally driven to turn [the garden space] into something, as Emma happens to be my mother,” Shawn Lednick said. “She is a part of this center and she is living today because of the hope and the care that Hampton University Proton Cancer Institute has given her.”
Wendy Iles, a Master Gardener in Hampton Roads, also contributed her time and expertise to the garden for several weeks.
“We came together over email, initially, and then started to develop the plan,” said Iles. “It has been a joyful experience to be able to work with them, see this plan come to fruition and meet all of their goals.”
Emma’s Sensory Garden is open to Hampton Proton patients and staff during business hours.
About Hampton University Proton Cancer Institute (Hampton Proton)
The Hampton University Proton Cancer Institute (Hampton Proton), established in 2010, has successfully helped fight the cancers of more than 4,000 patients from across the globe. Located in Hampton, Virginia, Hampton Proton is the largest standalone proton treatment center in the country, and at its inception, was the eighth such center in the United States.
Proton therapy is universally accepted as a viable and effective method to treat many forms of cancer—one of the top killers in Virginia. It is a noninvasive option that precisely targets the tumor, sparing healthy tissue. At Hampton Proton, patients receive outpatient treatment in about 30 minutes, which means no hospital stays, allowing them to maintain their current lifestyle. The center treats several types of cancer, including breast, lung, prostate, head & neck, ocular, brain & spine, gastrointestinal and pediatric tumors.
The Hampton University Proton Cancer Institute (Hampton Proton) recently presented a tour and lecture to more than a dozen members of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), a membership-driven organization through Hampton University which offers non-credit courses to mature adult learners 50 years and older. OLLI’s affordable adult education courses cater to lifelong students who want to improve their skills, explore new ideas, and interact with interesting peers in their community.
Executive Director MaryBeth Sullivan kicked off the visit with a presentation titled, “An Introduction to Proton Therapy,” which provided behind-the-scenes access to Hampton Proton operations and the proton therapy treatment process. The visit included a tour of one of the treatment rooms, an imaging suite that houses Hampton Proton’s MRI and PET/CT systems, and a demonstration of the equipment that delivers critical care.
“The Hampton Proton Team is always excited to show groups like Osher around the facility,” Sullivan said. “This allows the public the chance to look behind the scenes at our facility and how we fight our patients’ cancers daily.”
see the story on Hampton University’s website HERE.
HAMPTON, VA. (June 22, 2020) Bill Thomas, Associate VP of Governmental Relations at Hampton University, stopped by WNIS AM790 today to deliver a fiery and impassioned address to the station’s listeners on a special broadcast of the “Ask the Experts” radio show. His cause – the overwhelming disparities facing African Americans regarding incidence and mortality rates for cancer, and now Covid-19. “Black males are more likely to die from prostate cancer than any other ethnic group. And just recently the latest data shows African Americans have died from Covid-19 at almost three times the rate of white people,” Mr. Thomas ardently said. “Something positively has to be done.”
Mr. Thomas commended the visionary leadership of Hampton University President Dr. William R. Harvey, who secured funding for and founded the Hampton University Proton Cancer Institute (Hampton Proton), the world’s largest free-standing proton therapy cancer treatment center, in 2005 after being presented with data showing Hampton Roads was leading the nation in prostate cancer deaths and African American men were more than twice as likely to die from cancer than their white counterparts. “It’s like the same story all over again.” Mr. Thomas said.
He also admonished local and state officials for their lack of funding for Hampton Proton, which has treated over 3,000 patients for various cancers with millimeter precision and minimal side effects, but will also soon have the ability to fight Covid-19 by testing the condition of lungs with the acquisition of an MRI machine. The staff at Hampton University and Hampton Proton feel as though more should be done in the realm of funding and support to help bolster their efforts.
“I’m not angry. I’m fed up and sounding the alarm.” Mr. Thomas exclaimed. Tune in to WNIS AM 790 this Saturday, June 27, 2020, at 8 am to hear Mr. Thomas’ full interview. For additional information, please call (757) 251-6814 or email cordereau.dye@hamptonproton.org.
