Carbon Ion Therapy for Cancer
Source: Shutterstock
On January 15, 2026, Ron DeSantis, the 46th Governor of Florida, shared that Mayo Clinic would be launching the first carbon ion therapy program in the US, expected to begin in 2028.
DeSantis announced the 2028 launch of the first carbon ion therapy program in the US to treat cancer. Source: Youtube/@News4JAX
According to research by Mayo Clinic, approximately 44,340 people in the US are diagnosed annually with cancers that could benefit from carbon ion therapy. Currently, the lack of carbon ion radiotherapy facilities in the US limits access to cancer care and participation in important clinical trials.
What is carbon ion therapy?
Carbon ion therapy is an advanced radiation treatment that uses beams of high-energy carbon ions to precisely target and destroy cancerous tumors.
This works by accelerating carbon atoms to almost the speed of light. This creates beams of positively-charged carbon ions, which are then directed into cancer cells to damage their DNA, eventually killing them.
The radiation from the carbon ions can be designed to target a specific location to kill cancer cells while minimizing damage to the surrounding tissue.
Side effects of carbon ion therapy include hair loss, fatigue, headaches and skin reactions.
Carbon ion therapy locations
According to the Particle Therapy Co-Operative Group, as of December 2025, there are 17 facilities in the world treating patients using carbon ion therapy. Japan has 7 carbon ion therapy facilities, while China and Germany have 4 and 2 centers, respectively.
Country | Medical Center | Start Date |
|---|---|---|
Austria | MedAustron, Wiener Neustadt | 2019 |
China | Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Center | 2014 |
China | Heavy-Ion Cancer Treatment Center, Wuwei, Gansu | 2019 |
China | Heavy-Ion Cancer Treatment Center, Lanzhou, Gansu | 2024 |
China | Zhejiang Cancer Hospital Heavy Ion Medical Center, Hangzhou | 2025 |
Germany | Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center | 2009 |
Germany | Marburg Ion Beam Therapy Center | 2015 |
Italy | The National Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy, Pavia | 2012 |
Japan | Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba | 1994 |
Japan | Hyogo Ion Beam Medical Center | 2002 |
Japan | Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center | 2010 |
Japan | SAGA Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator, Tosu | 2013 |
Japan | i-Rock Kanagawa Cancer Center, Yokohama | 2015 |
Japan | Osaka Heavy Ion Therapy Center, Osaka | 2018 |
Japan | East Japan Heavy Ion Center, Yamagata | 2021 |
South Korea | Yonsei University Severance Hospital, Seoul | 2023 |
Taiwan | Taiwan Veterans General Hospital, Taipei | 2022 |
Active carbon ion therapy facilities worldwide in 2025. Source: Particle Therapy Co-Operative Group
How is carbon ion therapy different?
Radiation therapy usually relies on X-rays, which kill cancer cells by using beams of intense energy. However, it has limitations in how precise it can be. While still effective, less accurate targeting may damage healthy cells nearby, leading to more side effects.
Carbon ion therapy offers more precise targeting and the opportunity to kill cancer cells that are resistant to proton therapy or X-ray treatment. Ideally, this would enable patients to be treated with lower doses of radiation in fewer treatment sessions.
Future progress
Carbon ion therapy is a promising new treatment option that shows results in treating a variety of cancers. However, more clinical trials are required to better define when carbon ion therapy should be recommended in clinical practice.
The cost-effectiveness of carbon ion therapy in the US has also yet to be studied, until the Mayo Clinic facility is set up. Estimates have predicted that the cost of building a carbon ion therapy facility with an annual capacity of 1,000 patients is almost twice as expensive as a similarly-sized proton therapy center. The higher cost is due to the highly-specialized equipment required for this treatment, such as a particle accelerator, and additional radiation shielding protection.