Main description:

This book offers a comprehensive, practical guide to understanding the physical and biological characteristics of proton beam radiotherapy. The application of proton beams to the treatment of solid cancers has expanded exponentially over the last decade due to their physical properties, which make it possible to administer higher doses of radiation to lesions with only a minimum dose to the surrounding healthy tissues. Accordingly, understanding the basic aspects of proton beam radiotherapy is a primary concern not only for medical physicists and radiation biologists, but also for all physicians involved in cancer treatment using proton beams.

The major aspects discussed include the technique's development background, the generation and delivery system for proton beams, physical characteristics, biological consequences, dosimetry, and future prospects in both medical physics and radiation biology in terms of effective cancer treatment. Gathering contributions from experts who provide clear and detailed information on the basics of proton beams, the book will greatly benefit not only radiological technicians, medical physicists, and physicians, but also scientists in cancer radiotherapy.

Contents:

Part 1. The history of proton beam radiotherapy

1.- Discovery of proton beams

2.- Early state of the generator and delivery system

3.- Initial application of proton beams to biological systems

4.- Initial application of proton beams to humans

5.- The current status of proton beam radiotherapy

6.- Technological developments and the future of proton beam therapy

Part 2. Principles/physical characteristics of proton beam radiotherapy

7.- Physical characteristics of proton beams

8.- Linear energy transfer and lineal energy

9.- Dosimetry

10.- Accelerator systems

11.- Beam delivery systems

12.- Theoretical advantages and potential disadvantages of proton beam radiotherapy

Part 3. Radiobiology for proton beam radiotherapy

13.- Energy deposition of proton beams in cells

14.- DNA damages and repair mechanisms

15.- Conseque

nces of unrepaired DNA damage: chromosome damage

16.- Proton beam induced cell death

17.- Relative biological effectiveness

18.- Time, Dose and Fractionation effects in proton beam therapy

19.- Tumor biology and host/tumor interaction

20.- Biological modification for proton beam radiotherapy

Part 4. Application systems of proton beam radiotherapy

21.- Quality assurance for proton beam therapy

22.- Patient positioning and set-up verification for planning and treatment

23.- Treatment planning system

Part 5. Physics and biology

24.- Physical units for biology, macro and micro dosimetry

25.- Tangency between physics and biology.