Particle therapy

Particle therapy
ICD-992.26

Particle therapy is a form of external beam radiotherapy using beams of energetic neutrons, protons, or other heavier positive ions for cancer treatment. The most common type of particle therapy as of August 2021 is proton therapy.[1]

In contrast to X-rays (photon beams) used in older radiotherapy, particle beams exhibit a Bragg peak in energy loss through the body, delivering their maximum radiation dose at or near the tumor and minimizing damage to surrounding normal tissues.

Particle therapy is also referred to more technically as hadron therapy, excluding photon and electron therapy. Neutron capture therapy, which depends on a secondary nuclear reaction, is also not considered here. Muon therapy, a rare type of particle therapy not within the categories above, has also been studied theoretically;[2] however, muons are still most commonly used for imaging, rather than therapy.[3]

  1. ^ Matsumoto, Y.; Fukumitsu, N.; Ishikawa, H.; Nakai, K.; Sakurai, H. (2021). "A Critical Review of Radiation Therapy: From Particle Beam Therapy (Proton, Carbon, and BNCT) to Beyond". Journal of Personalized Medicine. 11 (8): 825. doi:10.3390/jpm11080825. PMC 8399040. PMID 34442469.
  2. ^ Woo, Jong-Kwan; Liu, Dong (28 February 2020). "An Investigation of Muon Therapy". New Physics: SAE Mulli. 70 (2): 148–152. doi:10.3938/NPSM.70.148.
  3. ^ Yang, Guangliang; Clarkson, Tony; Gardner, Simon; Ireland, David; Kaiser, Ralf; Mahon, David; Jebali, Ramsey Al; Shearer, Craig; Ryan, Matthew (28 January 2019). "Novel muon imaging techniques". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences. 377 (2137): 20180062. Bibcode:2019RSPTA.37780062Y. doi:10.1098/rsta.2018.0062. PMC 6335303. PMID 30530538.