Proton Therapy
MEN 510
Energy Conversion
Assignment 2
Proton Therapy
Presented to:
Dr. Walid Assaf
By:
Farid Akiki
20082191
Semester:
Fall 2012
Proton Therapy
Proton therapy (also called proton beam therapy) is a type of radiation treatment that uses protons rather than x-rays to treat cancer. A proton is a positively charged particle that is part of an atom, the basic unit of all chemical elements, such as hydrogen or oxygen. At high energy, protons can destroy cancer cells.
Proton therapy was first used for cancer treatments in the United States in 1974 at a physics research laboratory. In 1990, the first U.S. hospital-based proton facility began treating patients. Since then, tens of thousands of people in the United States have received proton therapy. The number of U.S. centers that offer this specialized treatment is growing but is still small.
How proton therapy differs from other radiation treatments
Like standard x-ray radiation, proton therapy is a type of external-beam radiation therapy. It painlessly delivers radiation through the skin from a machine outside the body. Protons, however, can target the tumor with lower radiation doses to surrounding normal tissues approximately 60% lower, depending on the location of the tumor.
Traditional radiation treatment can damage the tissue around the tumor. However, with proton therapy, the protons' energy hits the tumor site, delivering a smaller dose to surrounding healthy tissue. With standard treatment, doctors may need to reduce the radiation dose to limit side effects, resulting from damage to healthy tissue. With treatment using protons, on the other hand, doctors can select an appropriate dose, knowing that there will likely be fewer early and late side effects of radiation on the healthy tissue.
How proton therapy works
A machine called a synchrotron or cyclotron accelerates (speeds up) the protons. The speed of the protons is a sign of their high energy. The protons travel to a specific depth
Energy Conversion
Assignment 2
Proton Therapy
Presented to:
Dr. Walid Assaf
By:
Farid Akiki
20082191
Semester:
Fall 2012
Proton Therapy
Proton therapy (also called proton beam therapy) is a type of radiation treatment that uses protons rather than x-rays to treat cancer. A proton is a positively charged particle that is part of an atom, the basic unit of all chemical elements, such as hydrogen or oxygen. At high energy, protons can destroy cancer cells.
Proton therapy was first used for cancer treatments in the United States in 1974 at a physics research laboratory. In 1990, the first U.S. hospital-based proton facility began treating patients. Since then, tens of thousands of people in the United States have received proton therapy. The number of U.S. centers that offer this specialized treatment is growing but is still small.
How proton therapy differs from other radiation treatments
Like standard x-ray radiation, proton therapy is a type of external-beam radiation therapy. It painlessly delivers radiation through the skin from a machine outside the body. Protons, however, can target the tumor with lower radiation doses to surrounding normal tissues approximately 60% lower, depending on the location of the tumor.
Traditional radiation treatment can damage the tissue around the tumor. However, with proton therapy, the protons' energy hits the tumor site, delivering a smaller dose to surrounding healthy tissue. With standard treatment, doctors may need to reduce the radiation dose to limit side effects, resulting from damage to healthy tissue. With treatment using protons, on the other hand, doctors can select an appropriate dose, knowing that there will likely be fewer early and late side effects of radiation on the healthy tissue.
How proton therapy works
A machine called a synchrotron or cyclotron accelerates (speeds up) the protons. The speed of the protons is a sign of their high energy. The protons travel to a specific depth