Northwestern Medicine Proton Center

What Northwestern Medicine Proton Center does

Northwestern Medicine Proton Center is a single-site proton therapy facility located in Warrenville, Illinois, approximately 30 miles west of downtown Chicago. Opened in 2010 as the first proton therapy center in Illinois, it operates as a joint venture between Northwestern Memorial HealthCare subsidiaries and Radiation Oncology Consultants, Ltd., and is clinically embedded within the Northwestern Medicine cancer care network. The center delivers proton radiation therapy using a cyclotron with Pencil Beam Scanning capability across four treatment rooms (two inclined-beam, one fixed beam, and one 360-degree rotating gantry), and was the first U.S. proton facility to deploy vertical CT imaging technology in October 2016 for seated-position treatment planning.

The center serves cancer patients across more than 12 disease categories, with primary emphasis on brain tumors, breast cancer, prostate cancer, head and neck cancers, lung cancer, and pediatric cancers, drawing patients from over 30 states and 14 countries. Clinical operations are supported by a subspecialized radiation oncology team, advanced practice providers, an active clinical trials program with approximately 14 active adult research protocols, and 85% patient participation in clinical trials or a data registry. Patient access is driven primarily by physician referrals (phone, email, fax intake) and the integrated Northwestern Medicine distribution network, with dedicated international patient liaison services for out-of-area patients and collaborations with Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago on pediatric neuro-oncology.

The business model is fee-for-service clinical care, with treatment courses typically spanning 4-9 weeks of daily sessions billed to insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid; pricing is not publicly disclosed. There is no indication of external private equity or venture capital investment, and the center is not publicly traded. Patient support extends to lodging coordination, transportation assistance, and no-cost survivorship programs through the affiliated Living Well Cancer Resources.

Name

Northwestern Medicine Proton Center

Legal name

Northwestern Medicine Proton Center

Website

https://protoncenter.nm.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Northwestern Medicine Proton Center is a single-site, cyclotron-based proton therapy facility in Warrenville, Illinois, opened in 2010 as the first proton center in Illinois. It serves cancer patients across 30+ U.S. states and 14 countries, operating as a joint venture within the Northwestern Medicine network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Radiation Oncology / Proton Therapy

NAICS

Diagnostic Imaging Centers (621512)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Radiation Oncology (HLAKAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Radiation Therapy Planning & Simulation Imaging (CT Sim/MR Sim) (HLAHABAH), Medical Oncology (HLAKAFAB)

Keywords

• Proton therapy
• Cancer radiation treatment
• Pencil beam scanning
• Pediatric oncology
• Clinical trials oncology

Headquarters

HQ city

Warrenville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Proton Therapy Treatment Services: Fee-for-service healthcare delivery model providing proton radiation therapy treatments to cancer patients. Revenue generated through patient treatments, typically billed to insurance or Medicare/Medicaid. Treatment courses typically span 4-9 weeks with daily sessions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Northwestern Medicine Proton Center delivers proton radiation therapy to cancer patients using Pencil Beam Scanning and a 360-degree rotating gantry across four treatment rooms in Warrenville, Illinois. Treatments cover brain, head and neck, breast, lung, prostate, pediatric, gastrointestinal, ocular, sarcoma, and skull base tumors, supplemented by an active Clinical Trials Program and a Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Clinic operated in partnership with Lurie Children's Hospital.

Product overview

Northwestern Medicine Proton Center is a single-site healthcare facility offering proton therapy as its core cancer treatment service. The center operates as an integrated academic medical center combining advanced proton technology with comprehensive cancer care. Key offerings include Pencil Beam Scanning technology, Vertical CT Imaging for treatment planning, and specialized treatment for multiple cancer types including brain, breast, head/neck, lung, prostate, pediatric, gastrointestinal, eye, spine, and sarcoma cancers. The center provides affiliated cancer center services at Warrenville, Geneva, and DeKalb locations, and maintains an active clinical trials program with approximately 14 active research protocols.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Proton Therapy Treatment Advanced radiation therapy using protons delivered via Pencil Beam Scanning and a 360-degree gantry, treating brain, head and neck, breast, lung, prostate, pediatric, gastrointestinal, ocular, sarcoma, and skull base tumors for adult and pediatric patients referred by oncologists.
• Clinical Trials Program Research program offering active clinical trial protocols for adults and children receiving proton therapy, with registry-based outcome tracking, available to patients undergoing treatment at the center.
• Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Clinic Joint specialty clinic between Northwestern Medicine Proton Center and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago providing streamlined consultations and integrated clinical-research services for pediatric neuro-oncology patients referred for proton therapy.
• Living Well Cancer Resources Support Programs Free evidence-based support services for cancer patients and families, including art classes, workshops, nutrition counseling, stress management, support groups, and survivorship programming, offered in partnership with Northwestern Medicine Living Well Cancer Resources.
• Affiliated Cancer Care at Northwestern Medicine Network Locations Comprehensive outpatient cancer care delivered through three affiliated Northwestern Medicine locations (Warrenville, Geneva/Delnor, and DeKalb/Kishwaukee), offering physician clinics, chemotherapy, advanced radiation, clinical trials, and diagnostic imaging for patients receiving or completing proton therapy.

Quantifiable outcome

• Patients have fewer side effects than with standard radiation because there is less damage to healthy tissue
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative program for pediatric cancer care. The Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Clinic offers streamlined consultations for pediatric patients and families with greater integration of clinical and research services. Lurie Children's hematology/oncology specialists, radiation oncologists, and surgical oncologists collaborate with Proton Center staff.
• Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated nationally recognized hospital in Winfield, Illinois. The Proton Center is affiliated with Central DuPage Hospital for additional medical services. The hospital is cited as a nationally recognized cancer treatment facility.
• Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center WarrenvillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated right next door to the Proton Center, offers additional care and support services with the same dedication to excellent patient care. Provides physician clinics, chemotherapy, radiation treatments, clinical trials, and diagnostic imaging.
• Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center DelnorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading-edge, convenient, and comfortable outpatient location in Kane County offering comprehensive cancer care including physician clinics, chemotherapy, advanced radiation, clinical trials, and diagnostic imaging with natural lighting and family amenities.
• Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCancer center in DeKalb County offering comprehensive outpatient cancer care with leading-edge treatment rooms, natural lighting, open spaces, and amenities for patients and families.
• Radiation Oncology Consultants, Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partner in the Northwestern Medicine Proton Center. A joint venture between Northwestern Memorial HealthCare subsidiaries and Radiation Oncology Consultants, Ltd. committed to protecting patient privacy and providing proton therapy services.
• Northwestern Medicine Living Well Cancer ResourcesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDedicated to providing evidence-based programs and services that encourage, empower and support patients with cancer and their families. Offers art classes, workshops, nutrition, stress management, support services, and survivorship programs at no cost in Geneva and Warrenville locations.
• Ronald McDonald House near Central DuPage HospitalminorOthersProvides no-cost lodging for pediatric patients and their families, coordinated by Proton Center Patient Liaison Services staff. Located 15 minutes north of the Proton Center.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ackerman Cancer Center: Privately owned proton therapy center in Jacksonville, Florida, offering PBS and conventional radiation. Comparable standalone proton model with similar physician-led clinical model.
• Mayo Clinic Proton Beam Therapy Program: Operates proton therapy facilities at Mayo's Arizona and Minnesota campuses as part of a leading academic medical center. Comparable in scale, multi-specialty clinical scope, and academic integration to the Northwestern Medicine Proton Center.
• Massachusetts General Hospital Francis H. Burr Proton Therapy Center: The original hospital-based proton therapy center in the U.S., affiliated with Harvard Medical School. Directly comparable in offering PBS proton therapy, multi-room configuration, and academic research focus.
• Emory Proton Therapy Center: Academic proton therapy center operated by Emory's Winship Cancer Institute, offering PBS across multiple treatment rooms. Comparable multi-specialty cancer coverage and academic research integration.
• University of Florida Health Proton Therapy Institute: A dedicated, high-volume proton therapy center in Jacksonville treating thousands of patients annually with a strong clinical trials program. Directly comparable single-site proton facility with similar referral-driven model.
• MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center: One of the largest and most established proton therapy centers in the U.S., located within a major academic cancer hospital. Directly comparable to Northwestern Medicine Proton Center in offering multi-room PBS proton therapy for a broad range of cancer indications with active clinical research.
• Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Proton Therapy Center: Proton therapy facility jointly operated by Fred Hutchinson, UW Medicine, and Seattle Children's. Comparable academic integration, broad indication coverage, and clinical research footprint.
• Provision CARES Proton Therapy: Private, standalone proton therapy center in Knoxville, Tennessee, operating PBS capability. Comparable single-site proton model with a multi-indication patient focus.
• Cincinnati Children's/UC Health Proton Therapy Center: Combined pediatric and adult proton therapy center in Cincinnati. Comparable multi-specialty capability with particular strength in pediatric oncology, similar to Northwestern's Lurie Children's partnership.
• MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Proton Therapy Center: Hospital-based proton therapy center within an academic medical center in Washington, D.C. Comparable multi-room PBS configuration serving a broad mix of cancer indications with research activity.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCs0IxZNWq5LZs6QocphP9Ow
• Facebookfacebook.com/NorthwesternMedicineProtonCenter
• TikToktiktok.com/@northwesternmedicine?
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/northwestern-medicine-proton-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Northwestern Medicine Proton Center