title: Neutron therapy in Saudi Arabia: an overview and results of dose searching study in head and neck cancer.
abstract: The King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre is the only center in the Middle East that incorporates a neutron therapy facility. The neutron beam is produced by a cyclotron, which produces a beam by either a (d(15)+Be) or (p(26)+Be) reaction. The beam from the proton reaction is selected for therapy because of its superior physical characteristics. These were verified by an intercomparison conducted by the European Organization for Research on Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Heavy Particle Therapy Group. Full beam data are presented. The first study in the neutron therapy Program is on the treatment of squamous cancers of the head and neck. This consists of two parts. Part I is a dose searching phase and Part II is a comparison of our current photon treatment versus neutrons using the neutron dose selected by Part I of the study. Results of the dose searching phase (Part I) are presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: el-Akkad
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Clubb
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McArthur
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dobson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: DeVol
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D009502:Neutrons; D010315:Particle Accelerators; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology