Seoul St. Mary's Hospital of the Catholic University of Korea will begin construction of a next-generation proton therapy center in the first half of 2027, with the capacity to treat up to 1,800 cancer patients annually.
The hospital announced on May 25 that it is currently carrying out the detailed design phase for the new proton center. The facility will be built on the eastern side of the hospital's main campus in Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul. The center will span seven underground floors and one above-ground floor, with a total floor area of approximately 37,850 square meters. More than 250 billion won will be invested in the project.
The hospital finalized the construction timeline just six months after signing the main equipment supply contract in November last year. The center is scheduled to officially open at the end of 2029.
The new facility is expected to serve as a central hub for the Catholic Medical Center's nationwide healthcare network. By integrating referrals and transfers of severe cancer patients from eight affiliated hospitals into a single advanced treatment infrastructure, the hospital aims to improve treatment efficiency.
The hospital also highlighted its location near Seoul's Gangnam Express Bus Terminal, noting that the accessibility will benefit patients who require long-term and repeated visits for particle therapy treatments.
At the core of the center will be IBA's latest proton therapy system, the “Proteus Plus.” The equipment contract, including long-term maintenance, is estimated at up to 100 million euros (approximately 175 billion won). Once completed, the center will house three treatment gantries, making it the largest proton therapy facility among Korean hospitals.
The hospital expects the new center to establish a clear advantage in patient treatment capacity compared to other domestic hospitals currently operating proton therapy systems. After stabilization following completion, the center is projected to treat up to 1,800 patients per year.
The new system will feature two advanced technologies designed to improve precision and shorten treatment times.
One is “adaptive proton therapy,” which can detect changes in tumor size and shape in real time and automatically adjust treatment plans. This allows continuous treatment without redesigning plans even if tumors change during multi-week treatment cycles.
The center will also adopt IBA's “Dynamic Arc” technology, which is still under final development. Seoul St. Mary's Hospital is currently the only hospital in Asia to sign a contract for equipment featuring this technology.
Dynamic Arc technology enables continuous 360-degree irradiation while controlling the gantry in 0.1-degree increments, allowing highly precise targeting of complex tumor structures. The optimized distribution of proton beams is also expected to reduce treatment times.
Lee Myung-ah, head of the Cancer Hospital at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital and professor of medical oncology, said, “We will build a center that provides world-class next-generation proton therapy and high-quality treatment environments.”
She added, “Our goal is to offer cutting-edge treatment so cancer patients in Korea can achieve better outcomes with fewer side effects.”
