Frequently asked questions

Proton therapy is an advanced radiation treatment that targets cancer with proton particles instead of X-rays. The protons are accelerated to about two-thirds of the speed of light in a device called a particle accelerator, and the beam is tuned to the depth of the tumour. Unlike standard radiation, a proton beam does not pass through the body: it releases its energy at the tumour’s depth and stops there. The main force of the radiation lands on the cancer cells, while the healthy tissue behind the tumour is largely spared. Read more on what proton therapy is.

There is no operating proton therapy centre in Canada today. The Vancouver eye-tumour program closed in 2019, and Canadians are treated abroad. Centres announced in Toronto and Edmonton have no confirmed opening dates. See proton therapy in Canada.

Both are effective cancer treatments, and in studies comparing them, tumour control is similar. The difference is in the physics of the beam: because a proton beam stops at its target, less radiation reaches the surrounding healthy tissue, which can lower the risk of side effects. This matters most when the tumour sits beside sensitive organs, and in children; these are also the uses with the strongest expert support. Your oncologist assesses which is right for your case. See what proton therapy is.

That is a medical judgment. In Canada, it belongs to your treating oncologist; abroad, it belongs to the centre’s physicians once they review your reports. See who proton therapy is for.

It may. Every province and territory has an out-of-country funding program for medically necessary treatment that is not available in Canada, and these programs are used for proton therapy. Whether your case qualifies depends on your diagnosis and your province’s rules. Start with funding in your province.

A physician applies for you, usually a specialist involved in your care. You cannot apply yourself. Quebec, for example, requires two specialists’ signatures.

Yes. Provincial out-of-country programs require written approval before treatment. If you are treated first, you are generally responsible for the cost. Read how out-of-country funding works.

Most provincial plans have an appeal or review route with a deadline. Approval is very rare, however; for example, according to Tribunal Watch Ontario, fewer than one percent of these appeals in Ontario go the applicant’s way. The effort is better spent on a complete first application. The body and the deadline differ by province, and your province’s guide names the route where it is published.

There is no single price. It depends on your diagnosis, the number of sessions, and the centre. As reference points: accredited centres in Asia publish their own price ranges; and in the United States, per Canadian government assessments, the average is roughly CAD 200,000 to 327,000 per patient, including travel. The reliable figure for your case is the written quote a centre gives after reviewing your file. See what treatment abroad can cost.

Plans usually pay the medical treatment at set rates, not travel, accommodation, or meals. Some provinces and territories run separate travel-assistance programs.

No. It is operated by Maple Med Global (MMG Medical Tourism Inc.), a private Toronto-based company, and it carries no government authority. See about this site.

If you want proton treatment abroad, we send your reports to proton therapy centres, taking your country preference into account; the centre’s specialist team assesses your case, and we present you the treatment plan and the written quote. When you decide to go, we coordinate your whole treatment journey, from appointments to accommodation, and when you return we follow your recovery. See about us and how we work.

We charge patients nothing; our income comes from institutional agreements with treatment centres. The one exception is the United States: if you choose a US centre, a coordination fee applies for our service. See about us and how we work.

No. Medical advice is your physician’s role, and funding decisions are your provincial or territorial plan’s role. We help you understand your options and run the process.