Effects of Proton Center Closure on Pediatric Case Volume and Resident Education at an Academic Cancer Center

Changes in radiation oncology infrastructure influence referral/practice patterns and resident educational experiences. This study aimed to analyze effects of closure of an academic proton treatment center (PTC) on pediatric case volume, distribution, and resident education. We demonstrate a sharp decrease in overall pediatric cases and potentially curable CNS tumors treated at our center following PTC closure. Our findings raise important questions regarding resident training in pediatric radiation oncology as these cases become concentrated at specialized centers.

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