First used to treat cancer patients more than a half a century ago, proton therapy is a powerful tool in the fight against cancer. Although great advances have been made in proton technology in recent decades, only two proton treatment facilities were in operation in the U.S. by the 1990s. Today only nine centers are providing this revolutionary treatment in the U.S.

Why so few? Because in order to produce a proton beam, a facility must have a cyclotron or synchrotron, which are very expensive to build. The cost of the cyclotron – coupled with proton therapy medical equipment and staff expertise – make building new centers very challenging.

Fortunately, for the IU Health Proton Therapy Center, the existence of a cyclotron used for research was in existence at the Indiana University Cyclotron Facility (IUCF). After planning, persistence, and hard work, a group of dedicated physicians, business leaders, and government officials fulfilled their dream – to bring state-of-the-art proton treatment to the Midwest for the first time.

Today, the IU Health Proton Therapy Center stands as a joint venture between Indiana University Health and Indiana University Research and Technology Corporation.

Major Milestones in the IU Health Proton Therapy Center's History

• 1938—Construction begins on the first IU cyclotron.
• 1941—The first IU cyclotron begins operation.
• 1969—Construction of a new IU cyclotron begins.
• 1975—The IU Cyclotron Facility (IUCF) is in operation for research purposes.
• 1993—IUCF treats its first cancer patient for a brain tumor as part of a research study
• Late 1990s—Discussions begin about using IUCF's power to develop a proton radiotherapy center in Bloomington. The Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute (MPRI) is established.
• 1999—The Indiana State Legislature approves a $10 million grant for IUCF. The creation of MPRI becomes mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill of 1999.
• 2000—Construction begins on the treatment center.
• 2003—The fixed-horizontal beam treatment room is completed.
• February 2004—MPRI treats its first patient.
• April 2007—The first rotating gantry room is completed.
• April 2008—The second rotating gantry room is completed.
• July 2008—MPRI becomes programmatically integrated into the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center and becomes a Clarian Health Partner.
• July 2009—MPRI treats its 100th pediatric patient.
• October 2009—MPRI enters an agreement with the James Graham Brown Cancer Center in Louisville, Ky., to provide proton therapy for their patients.
• August 2010—MPRI treats it 1,000th patient
• January 2011—MPRI becomes the Indiana University Health Proton Therapy Center.