Nuclear Medicine & Radiation Therapy

Carbon Ions-A New Horizon in Radiation Oncology

Abstract

Aashish D Bhatt

X-ray or photon therapy is by large the most widely used modality in radiation oncology. Particle therapy using light ions [ex- proton (1H)] and heavier ions [ex- carbon (12C)] is now gaining increasing attention and acceptance. In the United States of America (USA), the push has been towards proton therapy with several new centers opening in the last few years and many more planned in the near future. There are currently no operational 12C centers in the USA. Clinical evidence with 12C has been very limited emanating mostly from existing centers in Japan and Germany. To date about 100,000 patients have been treated with protons and about 12,000 with 12C worldwide