The 4000th eye tumour patient treated with protons at HZB
Overview: Number of patients treated with prontons at HZB from 1998 to 2020. © HZB/S. Kodalle
On 19 February 2021, the 4000th eye tumour patient received irradiation with protons, performed by a joint team from Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin. The number of patients treated in 2020 remained at the previous year's level despite the more difficult corona conditions. The treatment in Berlin-Wannsee is only available for uveal melanomas of the eye. The proton accelerator at HZB is the only therapy site for this disease in Germany.
For more than 20 years, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) have jointly offered irradiation of eye tumours with protons. For this purpose, the HZB operates a proton accelerator, while the medical care of patients is provided by the Charité.
"We congratulate the joint team on this great success and thank them for doing everything they could under the difficult pandemic conditions to maintain the operation of the life-saving eye tumour therapy," says Prof. Bernd Rech, spokesman for the scientific management of HZB.
500 to 600 people contract malignant uveal melanoma in Germany every year. In 97 percent of cases, the tumour can be completely destroyed by irradiation with protons. In most cases, not only the eye but also the vision can be preserved to a satisfactory degree. Radiation with protons is a particularly effective method: the energy of the proton beam can be adjusted in such a way that practically only the tumour receives the radiation, while the surrounding healthy tissue is spared.
- Key technology for a future without fossil fuelsIn June and July 2025, catalyst researcher Nico Fischer spent some time at HZB. It was his sabbatical, he was relieved of his duties as Director of the Catalysis Institute in Cape Town for several months and was able to focus on research only. His institute is collaborating with HZB on two projects that aim to develop environmentally friendly alternatives using innovative catalyst technologies. The questions were asked by Antonia Rötger, HZB.
- 5000th patient treated with protons for eye tumoursFor more than 20 years, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) have been jointly offering proton radiation therapy for eye tumours. The HZB operates a proton accelerator in Berlin-Wannsee for this purpose, while Charité provides medical care for the patients. The 5000th patient was treated at the beginning of August.
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