Southwest Florida Proton
Southwest Florida Proton opens Phase 1 as engineers calibrate IBA ProteusONE
The first proton therapy center on Florida’s west coast is on target for a late 2025 grand opening.
Southwest Florida Proton, located in Estero halfway between Naples and Fort Myers, will be a beacon of hope for cancer patients in Southwest Florida as well as out-of-state patients who desire a warm climate and a high level of expertise while being treated in a state-of-the-art center.
Nearly five years in the making, Southwest Florida Proton broke ground in early 2023. Site work and construction of the 42,000-square-foot above-ground building took less than two years. The center is currently open for photon radiation and radiology services with two project partners:
- Advocate Radiation Oncology: With 12 locations across southern Florida, Advocate’s cancer treatment centers offer state-of-the-art, cutting-edge technology alongside world-class, board-certified physicians. The Estero location features Varian’s TrueBeam linear accelerator and is led by Radiation Oncologist Dr. Todd Pezzi, who also serves as associate medical director for Southwest Florida Proton. Advocate physicians provide treatments for breast, prostate, lung, head, neck and other types of cancers.
- Lee Health: Founded in 1916, Lee Health has more than 14,000 employees and over 2 million patient contacts each year at hospitals, medical clinics and outpatient centers. The Estero location features a Diagnostic Imaging Center with Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Computed Tomography (CT) on a Siemens Biograph and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) on a Siemens Vida.
The trio of services under one roof – diagnostic imaging, traditional photon therapy and proton therapy – will provide convenience to patients needing an array of services and enable a seamless treatment planning process and dual-modality therapy in an aesthetically pleasing environment. Estero is among the region’s fastest-growing communities and has an upscale demographic skewing toward an older population. Still, the center also plans to serve pediatric patients, is equipped for sedation of young children and features a separate pediatric waiting area and a playroom.
“Delivering a cancer diagnosis is jarring enough for patients but telling them they must travel back and forth to another part of Florida for treatment is disheartening,” Pezzi said. “Proton therapy has become the preferred course of treatment for many types of cancers – brain, spine, breast, esophagus, head and neck, liver, lung, eye, pancreas, prostate, lymphomas, soft tissue sarcomas, and pediatric cancers. Patients who live in Southwest Florida will soon be able to focus on their treatments and health rather than spending so much time traveling back and forth to appointments.”
Southwest Florida Proton’s location – just minutes from Southwest Florida International Airport and Interstate-75 – and nearby developments that include first-class hotels, restaurants and recreational amenities, make it well-positioned to become a destination for those needing proton therapy from out of state. Many proton therapy centers are in urban centers, which can be challenging for patients to navigate and bring additional financial toxicity to cancer patients, but Southwest Florida Proton is located in a calming and warm environment that is easier to navigate and has a lower cost of living than many large cities.
“Southwest Florida has long been known as a paradise for retirees and vacationers, but over the years, it’s also developed a reputation for having a world-class, comprehensive health care system, especially when it comes to cancer care,” said Dr. Arie Dosoretz, a radiation oncologist and managing partner with Southwest Florida Proton and Advocate Radiation Oncology. “Proton therapy has been the missing element from our region’s continuum of cancer care, and the opening of Southwest Florida Proton’s Phase 2 will be a historic milestone that positions the Naples-Fort Myers area among the nation’s top cancer care clusters.”