Nuclear physics for next-generation cancer therapy
by
Besprechungsraum 3, 3. Obergeschoss
PSK
Particle therapy is a rapidly growing and potentially the most effective and precise radiotherapy technique. However, physics research is needed to address a few problems that hamper its wider diffusion1.
First, particle therapy is too expensive. Cheaper and smaller accelerators and beam delivery systems are necessary2. Second, the position of the Bragg peak in the body is known with insufficient accuracy3. Range uncertainties jeopardize the benefits of the sharp Bragg peak and force to use wide margins extending in the normal tissue. In addition, new detectors can improve imaging and dose monitoring while high-precision fragmentation measurements can improve transport codes used in treatment plans4.
In this lecture we will give some examples of applications of nuclear physics to particle therapy. Among the examples, we will discuss nuclear fragmentation in therapy, possible use of heavier ions, and recent ERC grants addressing range uncertainty reduction using radioactive ion beams5 or co-acceleration of light and heavy ions.
1. Durante, M., Golubev, A., Park, W.-Y. & Trautmann, C. Applied nuclear physics at the new high-energy particle accelerator facilities. Phys. Rep. 800, 1–37 (2019).
2. Maradia, V. et al. Accelerator technologies for proton and ion beam therapy. Nat. Phys. 21, 1363–1373 (2025).
3. Durante, M., Debus, J. & Loeffler, J. S. Physics and biomedical challenges of cancer therapy with accelerated heavy ions. Nat. Rev. Phys. 3, 777–790 (2021).
4. Durante, M. & Paganetti, H. Nuclear physics in particle therapy: A review. Reports Prog. Phys. 79, (2016).
5. Boscolo, D. et al. Image-guided treatment of mouse tumours with radioactive ion beams. Nat. Phys. 21, 1648–1656 (2025).