Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 14, 2026
08:34
Proton Therapy Delivery and Its Clinical Application in Select Solid Tumor Malignancies
Published on: February 6, 2019
Current status and new developments in ion therapy
Christian P Karger1, Oliver Jäkel
1Abteilung Medizinische Physik in der Strahlentherapie (E040), Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. c.karger@dkfz.de
Summary
Ion radiotherapy offers highly conformal dose distributions, with active beam delivery showing superior conformality. Continued development is essential to fully realize the potential of ion therapy in clinical practice.
Area of Science:
- Medical Physics
- Radiation Oncology
- Particle Therapy
Background:
- Growing clinical success of ion radiotherapy globally has spurred the development of new treatment centers.
- Ion therapy is an advanced form of radiation oncology utilizing charged particles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the technical and biological aspects of ion therapy.
- To discuss the current status and future directions of ion therapy research and application.
Main Methods:
- Review of technical aspects of ion beam delivery.
- Analysis of biological effectiveness and dose distributions.
- Discussion of uncertainties in ion therapy.
Main Results:
- Ion radiotherapy achieves highly conformal dose distributions, exceeding passive beam delivery.
- Active beam delivery techniques offer greater dose conformality.
- Consideration of range uncertainties and biologically effective dose is crucial for ion therapy.
- The clinical benefit of increased biological efficiency for heavy ions requires further investigation.
Conclusions:
- Principal methods for clinical ion therapy are established.
- Ongoing research and development are necessary to optimize and expand the clinical utility of ion therapy.
- Further investigation into heavy ion biological efficiency is recommended.
Related Concept Videos
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
01:19Ion Channels
The movement of ions like sodium, potassium, and calcium into and out of the cell is essential to maintain the electrochemical gradient in living cells. The ion channels—a class of membrane transport proteins—help maintain this ionic gradient for the smooth functioning of physiological activities such as maintaining cell size and volume, conducting nerve impulses, and gas and nutrient exchange.
Ion channels are specialized integral membrane proteins on the plasma membrane that allow specific...
Ion channels are specialized integral membrane proteins on the plasma membrane that allow specific...
03:12Ionization Energy
The amount of energy required to remove the most loosely bound electron from a gaseous atom in its ground state is called its first ionization energy (IE1). The first ionization energy for an element, X, is the energy required to form a cation with 1+ charge:
02:56Treatment Resistent Cancers
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. A cancer cell is genetically unstable and hence can mutate faster. They can also modify their microenvironment and escape immune surveillance. The difficulties in treating cancer are further compounded by the emergence of rapid resistance to anticancer drugs. The most common ways to attain resistance in cancer cells include alteration in drug transport and metabolism, modification of drug target, elevated DNA damage response, or...
01:17Ion Exchange
Ion exchange chromatography separates charged molecules from a solution by reversibly exchanging them with mobile, or 'active', ions associated with the oppositely charged stationary phase. This method can be used to separate ions, soften and deionize water, and purify solutions. The polymers comprising the ion-exchange column are high-molecular-weight and chemically stable polymers, crosslinked to be porous and essentially insoluble. They are also functionalized with either acidic or basic...
02:56Treatment Resistant Cancers
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. A cancer cell is genetically unstable and hence can mutate faster. They can also modify their microenvironment and escape immune surveillance. The difficulties in treating cancer are further compounded by the emergence of rapid resistance to anticancer drugs. The most common ways to attain resistance in cancer cells include alteration in drug transport and metabolism, modification of drug target, elevated DNA damage response, or...