HZDR Lecture: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Debus - Cancer therapy by means of ion beams

Date

Jan 24, 2011

Time

3:00 PM - 4:30 PM

Speaker

Prof. Dr. Jürgen Debus - HIT

Language

de

Main Topic

Physik

Other Topics

Physik

Host

Prof.Enghardt - FWK

Description

Proton and Carbon ion therapy at the Heidelberg Ion Therapy Center (HIT) using the rasterscanning technique Jürgen Debus Particle beam delivery has been optimized over the centuries. The early studies from Berkely as well as most early proton centers and carbon centers in Japan deliver their beams using passive beam delivery, achieving dose conformality to the target volumes using collimators, compensators and modulators. More precise delivery of ion beams became possible with the development of active beam scanning. With this technique, the distinct physical characteristics of the particle beam including precisely defined dose delivery by a so called inverted dose profile are exploited. Additionally, for carbon ions, an enhanced relative biological effectiveness (RBE) has been shown which differs with respect to dose, depth, tumor type, endpoint or normal tissue. Therefore, a special treatment planning system accounting for this heterogeneity in biology has been generated at GSI based on the local effect model (LEM) initially published and continuously improved by Scholz and colleagues. At GSI, over 450 patients were treated with carbon ions delivered using the rasterscanning technique developed by Haberer et al. as well as biological treatment planning with overall excellent clinical results with very low rates of side effect. Since November 2009, particle therapy is available at the Heidelberg Ion Therapy Center (HIT), offering the possibility to treat over 1300 patients per year with proton as well as carbon ion beams. Technical characteristics including active beam delivery and treatment planning were based on the previous work. Based on the previous work the role of PET for treatment verification is investigated. Currently clinical trials are performed to define the role of particle therapy in the treatment of various indications.

Last modified: May 27, 2011, 4:37:41 PM