Concierge oncology · UK
Proton therapy - when it genuinely helps, and when it does not.
Pencil-beam scanning proton radiotherapy at UK and vetted overseas centres. A consultant clinical oncologist, a plan compared honestly with IMRT and SBRT, and a full late-effects surveillance plan built in from the start.
Why patients choose us
- 01
A pencil-beam scanning centre - not a marketing brochure
A named consultant clinical oncologist at a UK proton beam facility or vetted overseas centre, using pencil-beam scanning and daily image guidance. Not a re-badged photon plan.
- 02
The honest conversation about whether protons help you
For most adult cancers, photons and protons give similar disease control. We say when protons genuinely spare healthy tissue - and when they do not - before you spend a penny.
- 03
Independent, and free
We hold no proton-centre contracts. If IMRT, SBRT, brachytherapy or surgery is a better fit for your case, we say so. It costs you nothing to ask.
Indicative pricing
What private proton therapy costs from the UK.
Indicative ranges across UK proton centres and vetted overseas facilities. Send us your diagnosis and imaging and we come back with firm figures - including scans, MDT, treatment and follow-up.
In short
Adult head-and-neck proton course in our network: £55,000–£95,000, over 6–7 weeks.
| Course | Indicative range | Duration | Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consultation and MDT plan comparison | £450–£900 | 45–60 min | Firm plan in 5–10 days |
| Paediatric CNS proton course (typical) | £65,000–£130,000 | 5–7 weeks daily | Report per fraction |
| Adult skull-base/spinal chordoma or chondrosarcoma | £75,000–£130,000 | 6–8 weeks daily | Weekly review |
| Adult head and neck proton course | £55,000–£95,000 | 6–7 weeks daily | Weekly review |
| Prostate proton therapy (hypofractionated) | £30,000–£55,000 | 5–20 fractions | Weekly review |
| Re-irradiation with protons | £45,000–£85,000 | 3–6 weeks daily | Weekly review |
| Ocular melanoma proton course | £20,000–£35,000 | 4 fractions | Weekly review |
Prices vary widely by centre, by disease site and by whether combined chemotherapy is needed. NHS-funded proton therapy is available for a defined list of indications; if you fit these criteria we tell you before quoting privately.
The problem
Proton therapy is oversold - and, for the right cases, undervalued.
Some patients pay for protons where IMRT would do the same job. Others miss out on protons where the normal-tissue advantage is genuine. We split those apart before you commit.
Plan comparison, not a sales pitch
For every case we insist on an IMRT plan comparison in the same tumour volume and immobilisation, so the difference is measured, not assumed.
The right modality is sometimes surgery
For selected skull-base, spine and prostate cases, surgery or brachytherapy is a better single answer. We say when.
Late effects planned in from day one
Endocrine, cognitive, cardiac, second-malignancy - surveillance is scheduled before your first fraction, not remembered at year five.
The journey
From enquiry to surveillance - what happens, in order.
One consultant and one MDT from first message through the last surveillance scan.
Phase 1 · Before treatment
MDT, plan comparison, simulation
Phase 2 · On treatment
Daily fractions, weekly review
Phase 3 · After
Recovery, surveillance
- 01
Before
You share your case
A short, confidential form. Diagnosis, staging, prior treatments, imaging, pathology and the goal - cure, adjuvant, re-irradiation. We match to the right team.
- 02
Before
MDT review and plan comparison
Within a week: multidisciplinary review with clinical oncology, medical physics and - where relevant - surgery. A proton plan compared side by side with an IMRT plan.
- 03
Before
Simulation and immobilisation
Planning CT (and MRI where needed) in the treatment position, with a mask, vac-bag or breath-hold set-up. Fiducials for prostate, spine or liver where used.
- 04
On treatment
Daily treatment, 15–45 minutes on the couch
Typical courses 5–37 fractions over 1–8 weeks, delivered Monday to Friday. Set-up and image guidance take the time; the beam itself is 1–3 minutes.
- 05
On treatment
Weekly on-treatment review
A named consultant sees you weekly. Skin care, nutrition, symptom control, blood counts if the volume risks marrow suppression.
- 06
After
Recovery and acute-side-effect resolution
Most acute effects - fatigue, mucositis, dermatitis - settle 2–6 weeks after finishing. We stay in contact through this window.
- 07
After
Long-term surveillance
Imaging and clinic review at 3, 6 and 12 months, then annually. Late effects and second-malignancy risk actively discussed and monitored.
Typical end-to-end: 6–10 weeks from enquiry to end of treatment. Surveillance: 5+ years.
When it helps
Where protons genuinely outperform photons.
The indications where the dosimetric advantage translates into meaningful clinical benefit - plus the red flag that trumps every scheduling question.
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Paediatric cancers
Medulloblastoma, ependymoma, craniopharyngioma, rhabdomyosarcoma, retinoblastoma - where sparing developing brain and organs matters most.
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Skull-base and paraspinal tumours
Chordoma, chondrosarcoma, meningioma near optic apparatus and brainstem - protons deliver high dose while sparing critical structures.
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Head and neck cancers
Oropharynx, nasopharynx and salivary gland tumours where parotid, oral cavity and cochlear sparing improve quality of life.
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Ocular melanoma
Choroidal and iris melanoma - protons preserve the eye with a 90%+ tumour control rate in selected cases.
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Selected adult CNS tumours
Low-grade glioma in young adults, meningioma, craniopharyngioma - reducing radiation dose to healthy brain.
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Re-irradiation
When a tumour recurs in or near a previously treated volume, protons can deliver curative dose while limiting cumulative dose to critical organs.
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Selected lymphomas
Mediastinal Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma in young patients - reducing heart, lung and breast dose to lower late cardiac and second-cancer risk.
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Red flag: symptoms of spinal cord compression
New back pain with leg weakness, bladder or bowel changes is an oncological emergency. Same-day emergency department review, MRI within 24 hours - not a proton clinic booking.
Delivery options
Not all protons are equal - and not every case needs them.
Modern proton delivery and the photon comparators - what each option involves and where it fits.
Pencil-beam scanning (PBS) protons
The modern standard. A narrow beam paints the target voxel by voxel - best conformality, best organ sparing, and the basis for intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT).
Passive scattering
Older delivery technique still used in a minority of centres and for uveal melanoma. Simpler, less conformal, adequate for well-defined superficial targets.
Intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT)
PBS with multi-field optimisation - the proton analogue of IMRT. Standard for head and neck, complex CNS and re-irradiation cases.
Hypofractionated proton therapy
Fewer, larger fractions - used in prostate and some liver cases. Shorter course, similar biological effect.
Proton stereotactic radiotherapy
Very few fractions of very high dose for small, well-defined targets - some centres offer for liver, spine and CNS lesions.
Photon IMRT/VMAT (the comparator)
For most adult cancers, photon IMRT gives equivalent disease control and is available on the NHS. We always compare plans.
Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT)
Photon SBRT is the standard for early-stage lung, oligometastatic disease and selected liver tumours. Often preferred over protons for these indications.
Brachytherapy
Where relevant (prostate, cervix, some skin and head-and-neck sites), internal radiation may be a better single modality or boost than external protons.
Our vetted UK and overseas network
A small panel of proton centres, we picked them.
Two UK NHS/private-partnered PBT centres, plus vetted centres in Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and the USA for indications not funded here.
Selection criteria
How we choose every proton centre and consultant in our network.
Pencil-beam scanning delivery on modern proton systems, not passive scattering as a default
Consultant clinical oncologists with a defined subspecialty (paediatric, CNS, H&N, ocular)
On-site medical physics with plan comparison against IMRT for every case
Access to combined-modality care - surgery, chemotherapy, imaging - under one MDT
Safety and side effects
What to expect during and after treatment - honestly.
Proton therapy is well tolerated, but every course brings site-specific reactions and long-term issues that need active management.
Fatigue is the near-universal effect
Cumulative through the course, worst in the last two weeks, settling over 4–8 weeks. Plan the diary accordingly.
Site-specific acute reactions
Skin dermatitis, mucositis for H&N, cystitis and proctitis for pelvis, oesophagitis for chest. Proactive symptom control from week one.
Late effects are the main reason people choose protons
Lower integral dose to healthy tissue means lower long-term risk of hypothyroidism, hearing loss, xerostomia, cognitive change and second malignancy - especially in children and young adults.
The proton advantage is dosimetric, not always clinical
For prostate, breast and many photon-radical cancers, the survival difference over IMRT is small or unproven. The question is whether normal-tissue sparing translates into fewer long-term problems for you.
Range uncertainty is real
Proton range depends on tissue density. Weight change, air cavities, dental hardware and swallowing changes matter. Adaptive re-plans mid-course are routine.
Anaesthesia for young children
Paediatric patients under 6 usually need daily general anaesthesia for immobilisation. Centres with paediatric anaesthesia are a must.
Fertility, thyroid and endocrine
Where pelvis, spine or brain are treated, fertility preservation and endocrine surveillance are planned before the first fraction.
Re-irradiation carries specific risks
Cumulative dose to spinal cord, brainstem and bowel is tracked carefully. Necrosis, fistula and neurological damage remain possible.
Red flags during treatment
Severe throat pain preventing swallowing, breathlessness, high fever, new neurological symptoms, uncontrolled bleeding - same-day treatment-centre call or A&E.
Reading your record
Your proton therapy record in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whatever the site, the completion summary follows the same shape - target coverage, organ doses, on-treatment reactions and forward plan.
A quiet reminder
Radiotherapy records are technical - we translate them into what to watch for and when.
Ask us to talk you through the completion summary and surveillance plan before your first follow-up.
- 01Treatment summary
Site, dose, fractions and technique
The site treated, total dose in Gy(RBE), fraction number and size, and delivery technique (PBS/IMPT, passive scattering).
- 02Plan
Target coverage and organ-at-risk doses
How well the target volume was covered, and the doses received by nearby critical organs - with comparison to your original IMRT plan.
- 03On-treatment
Acute reactions and interventions
What reactions you had, how they were managed, whether any adaptive re-plan was needed.
- 04Impression
Response, surveillance and late-effect plan
Read this first: expected response window, imaging schedule and the late-effect surveillance plan (endocrine, cognitive, cardiac, second-malignancy).
Recognised by major UK insurers
Proton therapy cover varies significantly by insurer and by indication. Bupa and AXA cover selected indications; many need pre-authorisation with dose comparison. We confirm cover before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about proton therapy.
Quick answers on cost, NHS access, side effects and how it compares with IMRT.
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How is proton therapy different from standard (photon) radiotherapy?
Photons deposit dose along their entire path through the body. Protons deposit most of their energy at a defined depth - the Bragg peak - and then stop. That means less dose to healthy tissue beyond the tumour, which matters most for children, tumours near critical structures, and re-irradiation.
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Is proton therapy better than IMRT for my cancer?
It depends on the site. For paediatric CNS tumours, skull-base chordomas, ocular melanoma and selected head-and-neck cases, protons have clear normal-tissue advantages. For prostate, breast and most lung cancers, IMRT or SBRT gives equivalent disease control. We compare plans before recommending.
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Is proton therapy available on the NHS?
Yes - the NHS runs two proton beam therapy centres (Christie in Manchester and UCLH in London) with tightly defined national criteria. Approved indications include paediatric cancers, adult skull-base and spinal chordoma and chondrosarcoma, and selected re-irradiation. Cases outside these criteria are usually funded privately or overseas.
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What does a private proton course cost in the UK?
Roughly £30,000–£55,000 for prostate, £55,000–£95,000 for head and neck, £65,000–£130,000 for paediatric CNS and £20,000–£35,000 for ocular melanoma. We confirm a firm quote - including scans, MDT and follow-up - within one working week.
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How long does a course of proton therapy take?
Prostate hypofractionated: 1–4 weeks. Ocular melanoma: 4 fractions over a week. Adult H&N and CNS: 6–8 weeks. Paediatric CNS: 5–7 weeks. Each daily session lasts 15–45 minutes including set-up; the beam is on for 1–3 minutes.
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Will I lose my hair or feel very unwell?
Only tissues in the beam react. Hair falls out where the beam enters or exits scalp. Nausea is uncommon unless brain, upper abdomen or wide fields are treated. Fatigue is universal, worst in the last two weeks. Site-specific reactions - mucositis, dermatitis, cystitis - are managed proactively.
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Does proton therapy reduce the risk of second cancers?
Yes for children and young adults, where integral body dose is much lower. The absolute reduction is small in older adults, where competing risks matter more. Second-malignancy risk is one - not the only - reason to consider protons.
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Can I have proton therapy after previous radiotherapy?
Sometimes. Protons are one of the few ways to deliver curative dose to a recurrence sitting in or near a previously treated volume. Every case is individually planned, and the cumulative dose to spinal cord, brainstem and bowel is tracked carefully.
Related treatments
Looking for something else?
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Intensity-modulated radiation therapy
The photon comparator we plan against.
Learn more -
Image-guided radiation therapy
Daily image guidance across modalities.
Learn more -
Intraoperative radiation therapy
A single dose in theatre for selected cases.
Learn more -
Hydrogel spacer for prostate RT
Rectal spacer before prostate radiotherapy.
Learn more -
Focal therapy for prostate cancer
HIFU and cryotherapy alternatives to whole-gland treatment.
Learn more -
All tests & procedures
Every test and procedure we arrange.
Learn more