Particle Therapy Market by Type (Proton Therapy, Heavy Ion), Products (Cyclotron, Synchrotron, Synchrocyclotron), Services, System (Single-room, Multi-room), Cancer Type (Pediatric, Prostate), Application (Treatment, Research)- Global Industry Analysis, Share, Growth, Regional Outlook and Forecasts, 2022-2030

The global Particle Therapy market size was estimated at USD 680 million in 2022 and is expected to surpass around USD 2.4 Billion by 2030 and poised to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.2% during the forecast period 2022 to 2030.

Market growth is largely driven by factors such as the various advantages offered by particle therapy over photon therapy, the growing global prevalence of cancer, the growing adoption of particle therapy in clinical trials, and the increasing number of particle therapy centers worldwide. Emerging markets such as China, India, Brazil, and South Africa are expected to offer lucrative growth opportunities to market players in the coming years.

Covid-19 Impact on Economic Scenario in Particle Therapy Market

Globally, the outbreak of COVID-19 has impacted every aspect of the medical device industry, including particle therapy devices. From region to region, there is considerable variation in the management of particle therapy procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The particle therapy market is expected to be impacted due to the temporary postponement of various elective surgeries as governments and authorities seek to ensure the availability of resources for COVID-19 patients. In 2020, mean weekly particle therapy courses fell by 19.9% in April, 6.2% in May, and 11.6% in June, compared with corresponding months in 2019. A relatively greater fall was observed in attendances (29.1% in April; 31.4% in May; and 31.5% in June). Various governments have provided guidelines on elective surgeries to reduce the strain on the healthcare system, decrease disease transmission, and conserve personal protective equipment (PPE).

The global cancer burden is expected to rise by 20% due to COVID-19. This can be attributed to the postponement of diagnosis and treatment procedures. Though particle therapy emergency services were available in almost all centers, the number of emergency patients visiting centers for treatment has reduced. Closed manufacturing facilities due to lockdowns have disrupted supply chains, and reduced recruitments for clinical trials further impacted the growth of the overall particle therapy devices market in 2020.

Report Scope of the Particle Therapy Market

Drivers: Advantages offered by particle therapy over photon therapy

In recent years, particle therapy has undergone significant technological advancements. These advancements have helped manufacturers develop more effective and controlled particle therapy systems that are minimally invasive, deliver reduced levels of radiation to healthy tissues, and have fewer side effects.

Particle therapy, especially proton therapy, offers several advantages over conventional photon therapy. These benefits are propelling the growth of this market, especially in mature markets where the adoption rate of technologically advanced products is high. Listed below are some advantages of particle therapy over traditional photon-based radiotherapy methods:

• Targets tumors and cancer cells with more precision
• Less energy is released and minimal exit dose, which reduces the risk of damage to the surrounding healthy tissues and organs
• Reduces the overall toxicity and probability and/or severity of short- and long-term side-effects on the surrounding healthy tissues and organs, which, in turn, reduces the likelihood of secondary tumors caused by the treatment
• Is an appropriate alternative for patients who have reached the limit of conventional radiation
• Is more beneficial for pediatric patients in comparison to photon therapy as children have a constant high rate of mitosis, which requires a more targeted approach (easily achieved with proton therapy) with reduced risk of long-term side-effects
• Is a preferred alternative in cancers with limited treatment options
• Offers improved quality of life during and after treatment, with reduced chances of secondary tumors

Also, with technological advancements such as spot scanning and motion tracking, the application areas for particle therapy are increasing. Spot scanning significantly reduces the dose exposure of the surrounding healthy tissues, and real-time motion tracking enables clinicians to keep the target in the path of the radiation beam at all times, ensuring a controlled treatment. Considering these factors, several key market players are continuously focusing on R&D activities to upgrade their existing products and launch new and technologically advanced products.

Growing global prevalence of cancer

The growing prevalence of cancer is a significant factor driving the demand for particle therapy treatments (proton therapy and heavy-ion therapy) across the globe. According to the American Cancer Society, in 2021, around 1.9 million new cases of cancer are expected to be diagnosed in the US alone. The World Cancer Research Fund International estimated that 19.3 million new cancer cases were registered in 2021 globally; this number is expected to increase to 24 million by 2035. Thus, the increasing prevalence of pediatric cancer will fuel the growth of the particle therapy market.

The various advantages associated with proton therapy systems (high precision & radiation control, reduced risk of side effects, and minimal exposure of normal tissues to radiation) make it the most suitable treatment option for pediatric cancer cases. This is another major factor driving the market growth. In the US, an estimated 12,690 new cancer cases are diagnosed among children aged 0–14 years in 2021 (Source: American Cancer Society). Similarly, the total lifetime health expenditure with the use of proton therapy for children is less in comparison with conventional radiotherapy. This further fuels its adoption for pediatric cancer cases. According to the Department of Health, the average lifetime cost savings for the treatment of the side-effects caused by radiation therapy is more in proton beam therapy (PBT) as compared to conventional radiotherapy; the cost savings total ~USD 16,000 (£13,919) per child for PBT.

Restraints :

Particle therapy systems are high-priced and require advanced infrastructure for installation. As these devices are comparatively larger (including cyclotrons and synchrotrons) than photon therapy systems, they require ample space for installation.

Particle therapy facilities incur significant expenses in terms of construction, maintenance, staffing, and running costs. As a result, a limited number of healthcare institutions in underdeveloped and developing countries are capable of using advanced particle therapy systems. Underequipped healthcare facilities due to limited healthcare expenditure are one of the major factors hampering the adoption of particle therapy systems, which in turn is limiting the number of particle beam therapy procedures despite their high demand.

According to IBA’s (Belgium) projection from the Proton Radiotherapy Horizon scanning report, only 265 proton therapy rooms have currently been sold worldwide. There is a need for more than 2,500 proton therapy rooms, representing a shortfall of 2,237 proton therapy rooms. This huge gap between the requirement and the existing installed base is primarily due to the high purchase and maintenance costs. According to the MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center, the annual cost of operating a photon therapy facility is USD 2.75 million, while that of a particle therapy facility is USD 10.95 million.

Affordability and accessibility of treatments

Particle therapy requires complex equipment and other services, such as patient positioning, individualized treatment planning, and dose management software. The entire treatment cycle requires the input of many healthcare professionals, thereby increasing the overall cost of the procedure. Particle systems are also equipped with incredibly advanced features and functionalities for treating various cancers and are thus very costly. It becomes difficult for small hospitals and institutes, especially in low- and medium-income countries, to invest such high capital in a particle therapy center. As a result, the adoption rate of these devices is limited despite the increasing incidence of cancer.

The cost per treatment with particle systems remains two to three times higher than conventional radiotherapy, and insurance companies often deny coverage. Healthcare facilities that purchase such costly systems often depend on third-party payers (such as Medicare, Medicaid, or private health insurance plans) to get reimbursements for the costs incurred in the therapeutic procedures performed using these systems. Also, healthcare facilities with controlled budgets cannot afford such expensive systems and thus opt for refurbished systems, limiting the production and demand for new particle therapy systems.

The cost of building heavy-ion therapy centers is even higher than proton therapy as ions are much heavier than protons. For instance, the cost of equipment in a proton facility is USD 34–260 million (single to multi-room facilities), while in a carbon ion beam facility, the cost of equipment is USD 180–290 million (multi-room facilities) (Source: HealthPACT). With single-room facilities, the cost per treatment room is USD 30 million (as opposed to USD 100 million for a multi-room facility). This jump from USD 5 to 10 million for a conventional radiation therapy treatment room to USD 30 million for proton therapy is still difficult for smaller clinics.

Additionally, particle therapy facilities have added costs such as high annual maintenance and service costs, which are approximately one-tenth of the purchase price. As a result, issues related to the affordability and accessibility of particle therapy treatments are considered a major challenge in the market. However, particle accelerators and treatment gantries have a lifespan of around 30 years, whereas the linear accelerators utilized in conventional radiotherapy have a lifespan of only 10 years. Thus, linear accelerators may require multiple replacements over the lifetime of the particle accelerator.

Opportunities :

Rapid economic development and the increasing healthcare expenditure in many emerging countries such as China, India, Brazil, and Mexico are expected to improve access to quality healthcare in these countries. This is considered a positive indicator of the particle therapy market. The rising incidence of cancer in these countries results in the growth in the demand for various particle therapy devices and techniques. According to GLOBOCAN 2021, there were 9.7 million new cancer cases in the Asian region in 2021, and this figure is projected to reach 12.9 million by 2030.

In order to leverage the high growth opportunities for particle therapy in these markets, manufacturers are strategically focusing on expanding their presence in these countries. Some related developments are listed below:

• In April 2019, The Varian office in Hertford Office Park, Johannesburg, was officially inaugurated.
• In October 2019, Samyang Biopharmaceutical Corp. (South Korea) announced to expand its business operations in the US to leverage the company’s biopharmaceutical and medical device market in the country.

Additionally, due to less-stringent regulations and data requirements, the regulatory policies in the Asia Pacific region are considered more adaptive and business-friendly by market players. This encourages several companies to focus more on emerging markets in the coming years.

Challenges :

One of the major challenges faced during particle therapy procedures is the lack of clear visualization of tumors and their demarcation from normal healthy tissues. However, since tumors can change their shape daily, it becomes highly difficult to only radiate the cancerous outgrowth without affecting the surrounding tissues. To limit this, radiologists include a safety margin around the tumor. Also, to minimize the damage to the surrounding healthy tissue, it becomes a compulsion to limit the radiotherapy dose range, increasing the number of treatment cycles needed to eradicate tumorous cells. This is one of the major factors responsible for increasing the cancer treatment costs for patients undergoing radiotherapy. Moreover, despite advancements in imaging techniques, detecting tumor progression is still a clinical challenge. Due to these challenges, alternative treatment approaches such as chemotherapy and conventional surgical procedures are preferred by oncologists.

To avoid damage to the surrounding tissues, manufacturers continuously focus on developing advanced technologies with a precise and narrow tumor-specific window of radiation and better imaging techniques. This will help reduce the safety margins and increase the dose per session, which will lead to fewer patient visits to hospitals and, in turn, reduce the treatment time and costs.

proton therapy accounted for the largest share in the particle therapy market by product type”

On the basis of type, the particle therapy market is segmented into proton therapy and heavy ion therapy. The proton therapy segment is expected to account for the largest share (85.7%) of the market in 2021. The large share of this segment can be attributed to factors such as the high dose of radiation, a high degree of precision, shorter treatment time, and reduced side effects as compared to conventional photon therapies using X-rays.

“Products accounted for the largest share in the particle therapy market by products and services”

Based on products & services, the particle therapy market is segmented into products and services. In 2021, products are estimated to account for the largest share of 78.6% of the particle therapy market. The increasing incidence of cancer cases is the major factor responsible for the growth of this segment.

“Cyclotrons segment accounted for the largest share in the particle therapy market by Products”

Based on product, the particle therapy products market is further segmented into cyclotrons, synchrotrons, and synchrocyclotrons. In 2021, the cyclotrons segment is expected to account for a share of 71.4% of the particle therapy market; this segment is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period. The development of technologically advanced systems, advantages offered by cyclotrons over other accelerators, and the growing adoption of cyclotrons among users are the major factors driving the growth of this market segment.

“Asia pacific segment accounted for the largest share in the particle therapy market by Region”

The particle therapy market has been segmented on the basis of five regional segments, namely, North America, Europe, the Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. Among these, the Asia Pacific market is expected to account for the largest market share in 2021 and is also projected to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period. The Asia Pacific region is expected to offer significant growth opportunities for players operating in the particle therapy market owing to the increasing healthcare expenditure and growing initiatives to promote the use of advanced particle therapy technologies in the Asia Pacific countries.

Some of the prominent players in the Particle Therapy Market include: IBA Worldwide (EU), Mevion Medical Systems (US), Varian Medical Systems, Inc. (US), Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. (Japan), Hitachi, Ltd. (Japan), Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (Japan), and Provision Healthcare, LLC (US) among others

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2017 to 2030. For this study, Nova one advisor, Inc. has segmented the global Particle Therapy market

By Type

• Proton Therapy
• Heavy Ion Therapy

By Product & Service

• Products
• Cyclotrons
• Synchrotrons
• Synchrocyclotrons
• Services

By System

• Multi-Room Systems
• Single-Room Systems

By Cancer Type

• Pediatric Cancer
• Prostate Cancer
• Lung Cancer
• Breast Cancer
• Head and Neck Cancer
• Other Cancers

By Application

• By App Treatment Applications
• Research Applications

By Geography

North America

• U.S.
• Canada

Europe

• Germany
• France
• United Kingdom
• Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

• China
• Japan
• India
• Southeast Asia
• Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America

• Brazil
• Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa (MEA)

• GCC
• North Africa
• South Africa
• Rest of Middle East & Africa

Key Points Covered in Particle Therapy Market Study:

• Growth of Particle Therapy in 2022
• Market Estimates and Forecasts (2017-2030)
•  Brand Share and Market Share Analysis
•  Key Drivers and Restraints Shaping Market Growth
•  Segment-wise, Country-wise, and Region-wise Analysis
•  Competition Mapping and Benchmarking
•  Recommendation on Key Winning Strategies
•  COVID-19 Impact on Demand for Particle Therapy and How to Navigate
•  Key Product Innovations and Regulatory Climate
•  Particle Therapy Consumption Analysis
•  Particle Therapy Production Analysis
•  Particle Therapy and Management