Atrium Health breaks ground on new radiation therapy facility

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - Atrium Health broke ground Thursday on a state-of-the-art facility that will bring two advanced radiation therapies to children and adult patients with complex tumors.

The facility will be a $69 million investment into the local community, as it becomes the first site to offer these treatment options in the Charlotte area. It will be constructed on Atrium Health’s midtown campus and around the corner from the soon-to-be-built Wake Forest School of Medicine – Charlotte and “The Pearl” innovation district.

The two treatments are proton beam therapy, a form of highly precise radiation therapy, and gamma knife radiosurgery, a non-invasive treatment for brain lesions.

In this building, specialists will collaborate from across Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health Levine Children’s, Atrium Health Neurosciences Institute and more.

“Levine Cancer Institute is building upon the momentum we’ve already set in motion to become one of the nation’s leading cancer centers, continuously connecting patients with cutting-edge treatments, research and all the supportive care needed alongside a cancer diagnosis,” said Dr. Derek Raghavan, president of Levine Cancer Institute. “We are incredibly grateful for the continuous support of our local community, including The Leon Levine Foundation, for their generosity and confidence in us that allows us to live out our united vision of creating the best healthcare experience for our patients.”

The shared space will also foster continued research collaboration as two doctors from Levine Cancer Institute will be co-principal investigators on a national cooperative group clinical trial that will open in 2023 to advance the use of gamma knife radiosurgery.

The trial will enroll patients from across the country.

During construction of the facility, radiation oncologists will receive specialized training in proton beam therapy and gamma knife radiosurgery. In addition, Atrium Health will hire specialized physicists to join the staff in this work.

The center is expected to open in 2023, with gamma knife radiosurgery beginning mid-year and proton beam therapy beginning later that year.