Proton therapy: information for referring physicians

Which patients are eligible for proton therapy? Who can refer a patient to the proton therapy centre and how does the application process work?

Registration proton therapy

Frequently asked questions

Yes, you can discuss these at the weekly multidisciplinary PARTICLE team meeting (Proton Round).

Within the framework of compulsory health insurance (medical care insurance), only recognised radiotherapy centres - centres that have concluded an agreement on this with the NIHDI - can refer patients to a specialised centre for proton therapy. More information on this can be found on the NIHDI website.

No. Applications for proton therapy are always made by a referring radiotherapist-oncologist.

After the multidisciplinary PARTICLE team meeting (Proton Round), the advice may be given to the patient to:

  • return to the referring radiotherapy centre for photon therapy (when proton therapy is not indicated); if desired, photon therapy can also be performed at UZ Leuven or one of the other PARTICLE partner centres.
  • be treated at a nearby proton therapy centre abroad, if a particular tumour type cannot be treated in PARTICLE (yet). An example is ocular melanoma.

The referring radiotherapy centre, which has entered into an agreement with the NIHDI for this purpose, makes the application. More information can be found on the NIHDI website.

After the patient is accepted for proton therapy, the referring centre requests a file number via hadrontherapie@riziv-inami.fgov.be. The complete application file, including the report of the Proton Round, is submitted as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary delays before the start of the treatment.

After discussion in the multidisciplinary PARTICLE team meeting, the patient can be referred to the Ionenstrahl-Therapiezentrum (HIT) in Heidelberg, Germany, for this purpose.

The PARTICLE proton therapy centre is located at the Health Sciences campus Gasthuisberg of UZ Leuven in Leuven (Flemish Brabant).

 

Treatments are carried out Monday to Friday between 7.45 and 18.00 o’clock. No radiation sessions are carried out on public holidays or during the weekend, unless the radiation device was in maintenance for several days during the previous week.

The secretariat can be reached every work day from 8.00 to 16.00 o’clock at 016 34 76 00 or via email at radiotherapie@uzleuven.be.

Our team will be happy to help you in Dutch, French or English. If necessary, an interpreter can be provided.

Last edit: 23 april 2024