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Friday, May. 8, 2026

Will the first carbon ion therapy program in the Western Hemisphere launch in Florida?

Clinton Engelberger | Suncoast Searchlight, Suncoast Searchlight
yes

Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville will launch the first carbon ion therapy program in the Western Hemisphere.

Carbon ion therapy is a form of radiation treatment that targets cancerous tumors. It accelerates carbon atoms to nearly the speed of light, which are sent directly into the tumor to damage the DNA of the cancer cells.

Mayo Clinic opened a new building in Jacksonville in June to expand cancer treatment and research, including the carbon ion therapy program. The clinic expects to begin the treatment in 2028.

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ claim during an April interview with Graham Bensinger that the treatment will be the first of its kind in the U.S. and Western Hemisphere is true since it is now only offered in Austria, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

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