Researchers have been working to improve a treatment called proton beam radiotherapy.
Scientists have made a number of breakthroughs that they hope will significantly improve the accuracy of proton beam radiotherapy
Unlike traditional radiotherapy, the radiation from proton beam radiotherapy can be confined largely to the tumour, minimising the damage to surrounding healthy tissue. The treatment is as effective as current techniques but also prevents unnecessary damage to healthy tissue. Currently, any form of radiotherapy results in unwanted but unavoidable deposition of radiation to healthy tissue around the targeted tumour.
NPL science area leader Russell Thomas told the PA news agency proton beam therapy has been around since the 1940s, but only around 300,000 patients around the world have been treated with it. He added: “I think with proton provision in the UK now we’re probably treating slightly less than 2% of the radiotherapy population that would benefit – 5% to 20% is the estimate.“I think what I’d also like to see is investment for you, and ways of looking at other particles and other ion therapy.
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