One area that the country hopes will attract medical travellers, particularly from the USA, is a new proton therapy center within Korea's National Cancer Center. Charm Lee of the Korea Tourism Organization says, "Korea is on the forefront of medical technology. Patients spend two months of proton treatment and have an interesting, inspiring, refreshing, and regenerating experience." Korea believes that the U.S., with its high prevalence of prostate cancer (less common among Asian men), is a perfect fit for a package that costs a patient $48,000 and includes airfare, accommodation, and daily transport to and from the hospital. This advanced form of radiation therapy is available at just seven U.S. hospitals. The National Cancer Institute estimates there will be nearly 218,000 new cases of prostate cancer in the U.S. in 2010 and more than 32,000 deaths.
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