Radiation therapies are an essential component of today's oncology because they enable the treatment of localized tumors. Yet they have one major drawback: radiation damages not just tumor cells but also healthy tissue. One solution to solve this problem could be proton minibeam therapy, which uses finely focused beams.
n this interview with MEDICA-tradefair.com, Günther Dollinger talks about the benefits of proton radiation therapy and what makes it different from X-ray therapy, and he explains how minibeams could enhance the radiation of tumors.
Prof. Dollinger, how does the proton minibeam therapy you developed actually work?
Prof. Günther Dollinger: Minibeam therapy is based on conventional proton radiation therapy, which is increasingly used in cancer treatment. In the case of minibeam therapy, the proton beams are focused to where their diameter is reduced well below one millimeter. These beams are applied at regular intervals of a few millimeters, thus leaving non-irradiated tissue in between. The beams expand to the tumor, resulting in the desired healing effect known from conventional therapy. This reduces side effects because the beams cause less harm to nearby healthy tissue, while they are en route to the tumor site. ...
Read the complete interview Prof. Günther Dollinger at MEDICA-tradefair.com!