Ethics in Proton Therapy:
Policies & Considerations

We believe that, with clinical research, proton therapy will likely become the cancer treatment of choice for many patients. The future of proton therapy depends heavily on clinical research over the next ten years - that's why our primary mission is to conduct clinical research to improve the effectiveness and availability of proton therapy.

Most of the studies conducted at UFPTI will be based on the expectation that at least one outcome of treatment will be significantly better than what can be achieved with traditional radiation therapy.

There will be a number of areas targeted for proton therapy research - including pediatric malignancies, eye malignancies and disorders, central nervous system, head and neck, urological, pulmonary, sarcoma, and breast cancers. Each targeted area will have a team leader responsible for protocol development, patient entry and treatment on protocol, data monitoring, and reporting of results. To ensure that data are monitored regularly, a quarterly report will be required that includes the number of patients treated, plus ongoing analysis of whatever endpoints are pertinent, which will be given to the medical director who will summarize the experience for the Board of Directors of the UFPTI.