Hadrontherapy - Macrobenefit in cancer therapy?

Abstract

Hadrontherapy is one of the most promising radiotherapeutical innovations that deal with accelerated heavy charged particles, mainly proton and carbon ions. Their salient features include an original dose-distribution, based on the Bragg curve, and in some of them an increased RBE at the range-end. Approximately 100 000 patients have been treated so far in approximately 40 centers worldwide. Outstanding outcomes have been substantiated in rare neoplasms using protons, such as ocular melanomas, skull base sarcomas, and pediatric malignancies, while only promising evidences have emerged using carbons. Assessing their place in more common tumor-sites, such as lung, pancreas, prostate, esophagus remains to be determined, and justifies the expansion of future particle therapy programs.