5000th patient treated with protons for eye tumours
From the patient's perspective at the treatment station: The proton beam is directed through the hole in the shield onto the tumour in the eye. The brass shield is adjusted to the individual tumour size and protects the surrounding tissue. © HZB/. S. Kodalle
The treatment centre for eye tumour therapy in Berlin-Wannsee © HZB/ S. Kodalle
For 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.
The treatment room and proton accelerator are specially adapted to the requirements for optimal and highly precise treatment of tumours inside the eye and are unique in this combination. The largest group of tumours in the eye is the rare and malignant uveal melanoma, which, as the name suggests, develops in the uvea of the eye.
Proton therapy is used as an effective method of fighting tumours, often as an alternative to removing the eye, with the aim of preserving the eye and its function as much as possible. The protons can be directed very precisely at the tumour, sparing the surrounding healthy tissue. Compared to other radiation methods, proton therapy causes less damage to the cornea, lens, retina and optic nerve in many cases.
8 August 2025 was a special day: it was the day on which the 5000th patient completed their eye tumour treatment. This makes the Berlin experts one of the world's leading centres: together, the two institutions (Charité and HZB) have treated 10 percent of all eye tumours treated with protons worldwide. The cooperation with Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin also opens up prospects for the further development of proton therapy in order to carry out even more precise and effective treatments in the future – for the benefit of patients.
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