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Updated: May 23, 2026
08:34
Proton Therapy Delivery and Its Clinical Application in Select Solid Tumor Malignancies
Published on: February 6, 2019
Particle therapy for noncancer diseases
Christoph Bert1, Rita Engenhart-Cabillic, Marco Durante
1GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Biophysics Department, Planckstraße 1, 64291 Darmstadt, Germany.
Medical Physics
|April 10, 2012
Summary
Particle therapy offers advanced cancer treatment but faces cost-effectiveness debates. Its application in non-cancer diseases, like radiosurgery, shows promise for improving the cost-benefit ratio of particle therapy facilities.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Medical Physics
Background:
- High-energy charged particle radiation therapy is a recognized cancer treatment modality.
- The clinical benefits of particle therapy in oncology are debated due to high costs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the potential of particle therapy beyond cancer treatment, particularly in non-cancer diseases.
- To assess the expansion of particle therapy applications and its impact on cost-effectiveness.
Main Methods:
- Review of current applications and potential future uses of particle therapy.
- Analysis of cost-benefit considerations for accelerator facilities.
Main Results:
- Particle therapy shows significant potential in radiosurgery for non-cancer conditions.
- Expanding applications to cranial and extracranial targets may improve the cost-benefit ratio.
- Future directions include novel particles, motion management, and treating conditions like atrial fibrillation and epilepsy.
Conclusions:
- Particle therapy has promising applications in non-cancer radiosurgery.
- Wider adoption in non-cancer diseases could enhance the value of particle therapy facilities.
- Particle body radiosurgery is a potential key application within the next decade.
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