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About the Center
The Tennessee Oncology Proton Center brings advanced life-saving cancer treatment to Middle Tennessee that offers more hope to cancer patients. The 40,000-square-foot center can treat 90 patients per day between three treatment rooms. It is the first proton therapy center in Middle Tennessee and is conveniently located south of the Nashville area which provides quick access for residents of Tennessee and easy access to the Nashville International Airport for patients traveling longer distances.
We are dedicated to current and future cancer survivors and have brought advanced, latest-generation proton therapy to Tennessee. Our technology, the ProNova SC360, is one of the newest and most advanced pencil-beam scanning systems in the world, boasting an industry leading spot size and efficiency, which means more accurate treatments in a shorter amount of time.
Founded in 1976, Tennessee Oncology stands as a beacon of specialized community-based cancer care, consistently evolving and expanding to serve patients better. From our humble beginnings in Nashville, our primary goal has always been clear: ensure every patient has access to top-notch cancer care and groundbreaking clinical research, right in their own community. Today, with over thirty locations offering on-site chemotherapy treatments, we’ve kept that promise, alleviating the burden of long-distance travel for our patients.
In 2018, a pivotal moment arrived. Tennessee Oncology, in collaboration with Provision Healthcare, established the Proton Center, bringing state-of-the-art proton therapy to our suite of treatments. Then, in 2023, while our affiliation evolved, our commitment did not waver. Tennessee Oncology proudly took over the full operations of the Proton Center. Though the brand name changed, the heart and soul of the center remained untouched. Our dedicated staff, expert physicians, and the unwavering quality of care continued seamlessly. We’re more than just a name; we are a family dedicated to fighting cancer, and we want our patients to know that their care and trust remain our utmost priority.
PRONOVA SC360 PROTON THERAPY SYSTEM The SC360 is the only superconducting compact proton therapy system that maintains a full 360° treatment angle and fully accessible treatment at isocenter. This offers uncompromisable performance and a distinctive open treatment room. The proprietary superconducting achromat technology operates at 4 Tesla and allows an extremely compact 360° footprint. The even greater advantage is an open isocenter and rectangular treatment room that future proofs SC360 facilities.
ADVANCED IMAGING Integrated-dual energy CBCT with closed loop couch flex correction and 3D/3D registration offers unparalleled precision and an ultra large field-of-view (up to 70cm x29cm with field stitching), supporting advanced IGRT and the capability to treat multiple fields with one image. Non-isocentric and partial arc modes ensure that patients can be imaged at isocenter in any setup pose and at any gantry angle. Available 2D planar imaging and 2D/3D registration can be used for fast position verification. Adaptive mesh-based image protocols (x-ray beam is collimated to the patient contour) reduce patient dose. The imager is also capable of fluoroscopy mode for continuous tumor-motion tracking and fan-beam mode for diagnostic quality images in future releases.
FAST-SCANNING IMPT Fast-scanning IMPT beam technology allows for extremely fast layer painting and repainting, utilizing a high frequency scanning magnet up to 10 times faster than the competition. This is useful for faster treatments and less susceptibility to motion.
INDEPENDENT-ENERGY SELECTION SYSTEM Another innovative and unique ProNova feature is independent energy selection for each treatment room. This provides instantaneous room-switching and greatly reduces patient treatment times, improving clinical capabilities. Future applications include intra-fraction room switching to improve workflow and throughput.
HYPOFRACTIONATION High-current, continuous beam cyclotron can deliver high dose rates, delivering the same dose in fewer treatments than pulse-beam technology.
OneOncology was founded by community oncologists, for community oncologists, with the mission of improving the lives of everyone living with cancer. Their goal is to enable community oncology practices to remain independent and to improve patient access to care in their communities, all at a lower cost than in the hospital setting. OneOncology supports their platform of community oncology practices through group purchasing, operational optimization, practice growth, and clinical innovation. Our 850 cancer care providers care for approximately 500,000 patients at more than 175 sites of care nationwide, including this proton center!
"Expanding services across the continuum of care is a core OneOncology strategy that helps our partner practices continually innovate and deliver cutting-edge care to their patients."
– Jeff Patton, CEO of OneOncology, Chairman of Tennessee Oncology
"Tennessee Oncology’s added service line of proton therapy will immediately benefit current and new patients with our most comprehensive and robust suite of cancer support services available. The emotional and daily life stress of a cancer diagnosis and treatment extends to family and caregivers."
– Natalie Dickson, M.D., President of Tennessee Oncology