In this center, a unit specifically designed for radiation therapy of eye tumors in adults and children has been operating since 2021. Not all proton therapy centers have such equipment. To date, proton therapy is considered the best treatment for tumors located near structures important to vision, such as the optic nerve and the center of the retina.
Due to the physical properties of protons, radiation is delivered to the tumor without affecting neighboring tissues. Another advantage is that the Essen University Hospital, of which WPE is a part, has a large ophthalmological center. The specialists of this center are involved in the treatment of patients with melanoma of the eye in WPE. Therefore, the chances of curing uveal melanoma while preserving not only the eye but also the vision are very high. Patients with malignant tumors of the eye come to WPE for proton therapy not only from Germany but also from other countries.