MedAustron

MedAustron is a state-of-the-art European center for cancer treatment and research located in Wiener Neustadt, in Lower Austria, approximately 50 km south of Vienna. The centre is explicitly designed for high-precision radiation oncology, and it specializes in ion beam (particle) therapy. It is a cutting-edge form of radiotherapy that uses charged particles, namely protons and carbon ions, instead of conventional X-rays. These particles can be guided very precisely into the body and deposit most of their energy directly in the tumor, allowing doctors to irradiate malignant tissue while better sparing surrounding organs and healthy structures. The center operates primarily as an outpatient facility. Patients attend the clinic for scheduled treatment sessions, often once a day over several weeks, then return home or to nearby accommodation. Before therapy begins, each patient undergoes a thorough evaluation that may include imaging (CT, MRI, PET), multidisciplinary case discussions, and detailed treatment planning by radiation oncologists, medical physicists, and dosimetrists. The result is an individualized treatment plan that defines exactly how the particle beam should be shaped and delivered to match the tumor’s size, form, and position, down to millimeter-level accuracy. MedAustron is one of a small number of institutions worldwide capable of offering both proton and carbon-ion therapy. Proton therapy is beneficial when critical organs such as the brain, spinal cord, eyes, heart, or lungs need to be protected, or when treating children, whose tissues are susceptible to radiation. Carbon ions, which are heavier and biologically more potent than protons, are reserved for selected tumors that are resistant to conventional radiation or for which extremely high precision and biological effectiveness are required. This dual capability makes MedAustron in Austria a key referral center for complex, localized tumors, re-irradiation cases, and many pediatric cancers where minimizing long-term side effects is crucial. The heart of the facility is a large synchrotron accelerator that generates and controls the high-energy particle beams. From this central accelerator, beams are directed to multiple treatment rooms equipped with advanced delivery systems, such as rotating gantries and fixed beam lines, which allow the radiation to be administered from different angles around the patient. In addition to the clinical treatment areas, the facility includes a dedicated research beamline that is physically separated from patient care areas. This beamline supports preclinical experiments and technical development without disrupting the clinical schedule. Beyond its clinical role, MedAustron is a central hub for research, development, and education in particle therapy. The center supports clinical trials to refine treatment protocols, explore new indications, and evaluate long-term outcomes of proton and carbon-ion therapy. It also conducts preclinical research in medical physics, radiobiology, and imaging, including the development and testing of proton computed tomography (proton CT), which aims to improve treatment planning accuracy by directly imaging how protons travel through the body. Close collaborations with universities, technical institutes, and hospitals within Austria and internationally allow MedAustron to contribute to global progress in oncology and accelerator technology. Training and knowledge transfer are integral to its mission. The clinic hosts physicians, physicists, radiographers, engineers, and students for specialized education in particle therapy, helping build expertise that remains rare worldwide. Through conferences, teaching programs, and cooperative research projects, MedAustron plays a central role in advancing the understanding and use of ion beam therapy and in shaping future standards of care for patients with cancer.