Radiotherapy with heavy ions: radiobiology, clinical indications and experience at GSI, Darmstadt

Abstract

In the history of external beam radiotherapy, the trend for a better conformation as well as for a higher biological efficiency has been the driving force for the improvement of clinical results. However, these two goals had to be followed with separate types of radiation, i.e. photons and neutrons, and could not be combined. For the first time being, beams of heavy ions like carbon offer the possibility to combine both advantageous properties: better targeting and higher biological efficiency. Particle beams have an inverse depth dose profile, with a maximum dose in the deep seated tumor, a finite range, small lateral scattering, and a drastically increased biological efficiency in the tumor. These properties maximize the deletion effects on tumor cells. In addition, particle beams can be directed precisely in the limit of one or two millimeters, and can be monitored using positron emission tomography (PET) with the same precision. In the following paper the conditions are given that are necessary to translate these properties into clinical routine.