AN expert involved in the multi-million pound project to develop a proton beam radiotherapy centre in Newport has spoken of rapid global expansion in demand for the treatment.

Speaking at the opening of a new proton beam therapy centre in Nice, in France, Professor Karol Sikora, chief medical officer for Proton Partners International, highlighted ongoing research he said will determine which patients will benefit most.

He also warned that the UK might fall behind in terms of providing opportunities for such radical treatments.

The Centre Antoine-Lacassagne in Nice will use the same IBA Proteus One proton beam therapy machine to be used in the three centres Proton Partners International is planning in the UK.

Work has already begun on the first of these, at Celtic Springs Business Park, Newport, with others planned for Northumbria and West London.

The Newport centre has attracted almost £100m of financial backing, including from the Welsh Government's Wales Life Science Investment Fund, and will offer proton beam therapy in 2017.

“The biggest challenge that all healthcare systems have is deciding what proportion of radical radiotherapy is best delivered by proton. Clearly only certain patients will really gain and we need to identify them," said Professor Sikora.

“Analysis of recent studies demonstrates that between 10-20 per cent of patients would benefit from proton beam therapy, by having significantly less long term side effects.

“In Britain this would mean a requirement for 18 centres, far more than the two currently planned by the NHS. Most European countries are now planning for at least 10 per cent of radiotherapy to be delivered by protons.

“Over a thousand clinical studies are in progress and it’s likely that further data on long term toxicity will support a major expansion in this area.

"If the UK doesn’t make the right decisions today, we will again fall behind in the quality of cancer treatment we will be able to offer cancer patients in the future.”