Proton Therapy in the Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Proton radiation therapy plays a central role in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Because of the near-zero exit dose and improved sparing of normal liver parenchyma, protons are being used even in challenging scenarios, including larger or multifocal liver tumors, and those associated with vascular tumor thrombus. There is a mounting level of evidence that suggests that protons are superior to photons in terms of survival and toxicity outcomes, specifically the progression to liver failure. A randomized controlled trial comparing protons to photons is currently underway to verify this hypothesis.