Southwest Florida Proton now offering consultations for cancer patients

ESTERO, Fla. - Nov. 24, 2025 - PRLog -- Southwest Florida Proton, which will start delivering proton treatments in December, has begun offering consultations to cancer patients considering their treatment options.

Dr. Shannon MacDonald, senior medical director at Southwest Florida Proton, is accepting appointments for individuals recently diagnosed with cancer, along with their family members and caregivers.

"It can be very helpful to get a second opinion before any major medical procedure or treatment, just to provide reassurance," MacDonald said. "Our consultations are designed as educational sessions to help patients decide their best course of treatment. Not every individual receiving radiation will benefit from proton therapy, but it is beneficial for many pediatric malignancies, curable brain tumors and tumors of the bone and muscle when they are in close proximity to healthy tissues and organs, and it may be beneficial for select patients with breast and prostate cancer."

Consultations include a comprehensive medical history and imaging review, as well as an overview of proton therapy. Widely considered a superior form of radiation therapy, proton therapy uses charged proton particles to destroy cancer cells. Because protons have the unique ability to travel precisely into a target and not beyond it, patients often report fewer side effects and complications during and after treatment.

Proton therapy is often recommended for pediatric malignancies, curable brain tumors, tumors of the skull base and spine, eye tumors, and for some patients with breast, esophageal, head and neck, liver, lung, prostate, lymphomas and sarcomas.

Southwest Florida Proton, located at 9961 Estero Oaks Drive in Estero, will deliver proton therapy using the IBA ProteusONE, a powerful piece of machinery considered the most technologically advanced cancer-fighting machine in the world.

To schedule a consultation, please visit SWFLproton.com or call 239-396-5162.

About Southwest Florida Proton

Southwest Florida Proton in Estero is a state-of-the-art cancer treatment center that features IBA's ProteusONE, widely considered the most innovative and effective cancer-fighting machine in the world. Its board-certified physicians use cutting-edge technology to deliver world-class care to patients with a range of cancers, including prostate, head and neck, breast, brain, spine, esophageal, liver, lung, eye, pancreas, lymphomas and soft tissue sarcomas, as well as pediatric cancers. Its clinical partners include Advocate Radiation Oncology, which offers traditional photon therapy at the center, and Lee Health, which operates an on-site diagnostic imaging center. Please visit SWFLproton.com for additional information.