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Updated: Jul 6, 2026
08:34
Proton Therapy Delivery and Its Clinical Application in Select Solid Tumor Malignancies
Published on: February 6, 2019
Proton therapy coverage for prostate cancer treatment
Carlos Vargas1, Marcus Wagner, Chaitali Mahajan
1University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute, Jacksonville, FL 32206, USA. c2002@ufl.edu
Summary
Prostate motion under 5 mm had minimal impact on proton therapy dose coverage. Beam realignment significantly improved target coverage for 10-mm prostate displacements, ensuring treatment efficacy.
Area of Science:
- Radiation Oncology
- Medical Physics
Background:
- Proton therapy offers precise dose delivery, but prostate motion can compromise treatment accuracy.
- Understanding the impact of prostate motion is crucial for optimizing proton therapy protocols.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effect of prostate motion on dose coverage in patients undergoing proton therapy.
- To assess the efficacy of beam realignment in mitigating motion-related dose discrepancies.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed 120 prostate positions across 10 patient treatment plans.
- Simulated prostate displacements using 5-mm and 10-mm vectors.
- Assessed dose coverage (V78) and minimal dose to the prostate and organs at risk.
Main Results:
- Prostate motion ≤5 mm showed minimal impact on dose coverage (V78).
- 10-mm displacements significantly reduced prostate V78 coverage (up to -10.2%) and minimal dose.
- Beam realignment improved V78 coverage by 17.4% for 10-mm displacements, restoring minimal dose.
Conclusions:
- Proton therapy for prostate cancer maintains good dose coverage with motion ≤5 mm.
- Beam realignment is effective in compensating for larger prostate displacements (10 mm), enhancing treatment reliability.
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