Hyogo Ion Beam Medical Center (HIBMC)

Since its inception in 2001, Hyogo Ion Beam Medical Center has treated more than 2,000 patients as the world's only facility capable of providing both proton and carbon-ion radiation therapies. During this time, we increased the number of treatable cancers, expanding from the excellent results already reported by other particle beam radiation facilities. (For detail, please refer to "Treatable Cancers.")

The therapy lasts one to eight weeks, depending on the type of cancer and symptoms. (An additional week of preparations is required before the therapy). Our particle beam radiation equipment runs with great reliability, and almost all patients finish their therapy as scheduled and have swift rehabilitations and re-entries into the society.

We are also prepared to treat a large number of patients each day, up to 80 or 90, with proton and carbon-ion radiation therapies combined.

Hospital Front View		Particle Beam Radiation Therapy Room		Particle Beam Accelerator

Proton and carbon-ion beams are called particle beams. They are specific types of radiation. Compared to the X-rays used in conventional radiation therapies, particle beams possess superior qualities for cancer treatments.

Under advanced computer control, particle beams are irradiated into the focus area with pinpoint accuracy for immediate destruction of cancer cells. During irradiation, the patient does not feel pain or heat. Therefore, we do not use any anesthetic or painkiller, and the patient retains normal awareness throughout the therapy session. We use no scalpels or needles, and no blood transfusion is necessary.

Our goal is to conduct particle beam radiation therapy on one localized cancer in the body, thereby ensuring the patient's speedy rehabilitation, re-entry into the society, and reclamation of the normal lifestyle that he/she had before the therapy.

Today we often hear that cancers are curable. It is reported that roughly one half of all cancer patients have overcome their cancer. In the history of cancer treatment, surgery played an important role in its advancement. In general, surgery is a preferred procedure for cancers in early stages, whereas radiation or chemical therapies are used when the cancer is inoperable for such reasons as advanced tumor development or the patient's elderly age.

However, even for cancers in early stages, surgery can be physically exhausting, leave a large surgical wound or induce after effects. Age and other illnesses may also prevent the patient from having surgery. Since each patient has a unique lifestyle and preferences, we cannot conclude that surgery is the optimal treatment procedure for all cancer patients. According to the forerunner particle beam facilities, particle beam radiation therapy is able to achieve the same level of results as surgery for some cancers in early stages.

In our facility, we aim to provide particle beam radiation therapy to as many patients as possible, reducing the cancer mortality rate and elucidating and advocating for the distinct attributes of this therapy.

Hyogo Ion Beam Medical Center		Aerial View of Harima Science Garden City