Potential for heavy particle radiation therapy

Technical Report · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7215334· OSTI ID:7215334

Raju, M R; Phillips, T L

Radiation therapy remains one of the major forms of cancer treatment. When x rays are used in radiotherapy, there are large variations in radiation sensitivity among tumors because of the possible differences in the presence of hypoxic but viable tumor cells, differences in reoxygenation during treatment, differences in distribution of the tumor cells in their cell cycle, and differences in repair of sublethal damage. When high-LET particles are used, depending upon the LET distribution, these differences are reduced considerably. Because of these differences between x rays and high-LET particle effects, the high-LET particles may be more effective on tumor cells for a given effect on normal cells. Heavy particles have potential application in improving radiotherapy because of improved dose localization and possible advantages of high-LET particles due to their radiobiological characteristics. Protons, because of their defined range, Bragg peak, and small effects of scattering, have good dose localization characteristics. The use of protons in radiotherapy minimizes the morbidity of radiotherapy treatment and is very effective in treating deep tumors located near vital structures. Fast neutrons have no physical advantages over /sup 60/Co gamma rays but, because of their high-LET component, could be very effective in treating tumors that are resistant to conventional radiations. Negative pions and heavy ions combine some of the advantages of protons and fast neutrons.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 7215334
• Report Number(s): LA-6588-MS
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550600 -- Medicine
560151* -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Man
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BARYONS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BOSONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
DEPTH DOSE DISTRIBUTIONS
DISEASES
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY TRANSFER
FAST NEUTRONS
FERMIONS
HADRONS
HEAVY IONS
IONS
LET
MEDICINE
MESONS
NEOPLASMS
NEUTRONS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
NUCLEONS
PATIENTS
PIONS
PIONS MINUS
PROTONS
PSEUDOSCALAR MESONS
RADIATION DOSE DISTRIBUTIONS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOLOGY
RADIOTHERAPY
RBE
SPATIAL DOSE DISTRIBUTIONS
THERAPY