The Trento Proton Therapy Centre is a highly specialized facility dedicated to treating tumours through the use of sophisticated and innovative technology.
Proton Therapy is a type of precision radiation treatment that uses heavy particles - protons - to irradiate tumour cells.
The proton beams are able to release the doses with extreme precision, saving the surrounding healthy tissue. The therapy requires particle production equipment - the cyclotron - and a beam transport and release system. During therapy, the patient is positioned on the treatment bed inside the gantry, the structure that directs the radiation by rotating 360° around the patient. The Trento Centre is equipped with two treatment rooms for patients and one for experimental use and research, with a fixed beam. The Centre is one of the operating units in the Hospital of Trento and is part of the Department of Oncology. It began its clinical activity in October 2014.
Reduction of collateral effects compared to traditional therapy
Lower incidence of secondary radiation-induced tumours
Particularly effective
Tumours of the brain and skull base
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Brain Tumors
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Paediatric tumours
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Head and neck tumours
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Sarcomas
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Gastrointestinal tumours
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Tumours in genetic syndromes
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Tumours of the spinal column and sacrum
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Re-treatment of tumours
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For three days, Trento became an international meeting point for scientists working at the forefront of one of the most promising future developments in radiation oncology: FLASH radiotherapy. More than simply hosting the 4th FLASH Workshop – "The Role of Oxygen and Beyond in the FLASH Radiotherapy Mechanism", the city demonstrated how a unique combination of scientific excellence, advanced technology and clinical expertise is creating an ecosystem capable of accelerating the translation of FLASH radiotherapy from laboratory research to future patient care.
Medical physics and proton therapy in Trento are emerging internationally as leaders in one of the most significant advances in the field of physics applied to oncology. The prestigious journal Physics World has included the first clinical application in Italy of Proton Arc Therapy (PAT) among the Top 10 Breakthroughs of the Year in Physics for 2025 — the list of the ten discoveries or innovations that have contributed most to the development of physics and its applications during the year.