Proton-therapy, present status.
At the moment, proton-therapy is the most advanced radiotherapeutic technique in cancer treatment. The use of the high energy proton beam (from 70 MeV to 200 MeV) lets a Bragg's peak be moved to different depths, so allowing personal radiotherapeutic treatment. In recent years, many proton-therapy centers have grown up throughout the world with very satisfactory clinical results, first of all in eye melanoma treatment. The future expectations are very promising, even if the very high installation and maintenance expenses of a synchrotron (for proton production) hinder the development of such a method.
Salvadori
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RP
Health Physics Service, S. Corona Hospital, Pietra Ligure Savona, Italy.
Rembado
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Serrato
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D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D061766:Proton Therapy; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy / Q000639:trends; D017356:Synchrotrons; D011522:Protons
D011522:Protons