Fission neutron therapy at FRM II: Indications and first results

Loeper-Kabasakal, Birgit; Posch, A.; Auberger, Th.; Wagner, F.M.; Kampfer, S.; Kneschaurek, P.; Petry, W.; Lukáš, P.; Molls, M.

doi:10.1016/j.radmeas.2010.04.006

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…In close collaboration with the Department of Radiation Therapy and Oncology at the TUM, the MEDAPP cancer treatment facility has been set up along that beam and allows clinical applications. Figure 12 opens a view on the MEDAPP irradiation chamber, located some 5 m away from the center of FRM II's core [72].…”

Section: Neutrons For Medicinementioning

confidence: 99%

Neutrons for industry

Petry

2015

EPJ Web of Conferences

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Section: Neutrons For Medicinementioning

confidence: 99%

Neutrons for industry

Petry

2015

EPJ Web of Conferences

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“…This latter condition is well compatible with the concept of BNCT where the targeting is effectuated by the boron affinity to the tumour (including disseminated cells) rather than by focusing the radiation onto the bulk tumour. As with FNT, the combination with photons can favorably complement the action of the neutron irradiation [11,24,53,54]. A further optimization will come with hospital-based neutron sources: Among several advanced groups working on measures to boost efficiency of cyclotrons in Japan [64], Italy [65], and Israel [66], the facility developed by SUMIMOTO in Osaka is especially near to medical application: The biological dosimetry being accomplished, the operating company and KURRI are preparing the application for a clinical trial.…”

Section: Neutron Facilities For Medical Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neutron medical treatment of tumours — a survey of facilities

Wagner¹,

Loeper-Kabasakal²,

Breitkreutz³

2012

J. Inst.

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Neutron therapy has two branches: Fast Neutron Therapy (FNT) and Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT). The mean neutron energies used for FNT range from 2 MeV to 25 MeV whereas the maximum energy for BNCT is about 10 keV. Neutron generators for FNT have been cyclotrons, accelerators and reactors, whereas BNCT is so far bound to reactors. Both therapies use the effects of high-LET radiation (secondary recoil protons and alpha particles, respectively) and can attack otherwise radioresistant tumours, however, with the hazard of adverse effects for irradiated healthy tissue.FNT has been administered to about 30,000 patients world-wide. From formerly 40 facilities, only eight are operational or stand-by today. The reasons for this development have been, on the one hand, related to technical and economical conditions; on the other hand, strong side effects and insufficient proof of clinical results in the early years as well as increasing competition with new clinical methods have reduced patient numbers. In fact, strict observations of indications, appropriate therapy-planning including low-LET radiation, and consequent treatment of side effects have lead to remarkable results in the meantime.BNCT initially was developed for the treatment of extremely aggressive forms of brain tumour, taking advantage of the action of the blood-brain-barrier which allows for a boronated compound to be selectively enriched in tumour cells. Meanwhile, also malignant melanoma (MM) and Head-and-Neck (H&T) tumours are treated because of their relative radioresistance. At present, epithermal beams with sufficient flux are available only at two facilities. Existing research reactors were indispensable in the development of BNCT, but are to be replaced by hospital-based epithermal neutron sources. Clinical results indicate significantly increased survival times, but the number of patients ever treated is still below 1,000.3D-dose calculation systems have been developed at several facilities and guarantee a high safety for both therapies, FNT and BNCT.

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“…At the former research reactor FRM at Garching, Germany, neutrons have been used for radiation therapy since 1985, and 715 patients with different types of tumors were treated until its shut-down in July 2000. Since June 2007, neutron irradiation treatments are performed at the new Medical Application facility (MEDAPP) at the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) [ 1 , 2 ]. This new reactor was designed to provide a very high neutron fluence rate, primarily at thermal energies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First steps towards a fast-neutron therapy planning program

et al. 2011

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BackgroundThe Monte Carlo code GEANT4 was used to implement first steps towards a treatment planning program for fast-neutron therapy at the FRM II research reactor in Garching, Germany. Depth dose curves were calculated inside a water phantom using measured primary neutron and simulated primary photon spectra and compared with depth dose curves measured earlier. The calculations were performed with GEANT4 in two different ways, simulating a simple box geometry and splitting this box into millions of small voxels (this was done to validate the voxelisation procedure that was also used to voxelise the human body).ResultsIn both cases, the dose distributions were very similar to those measured in the water phantom, up to a depth of 30 cm. In order to model the situation of patients treated at the FRM II MEDAPP therapy beamline for salivary gland tumors, a human voxel phantom was implemented in GEANT4 and irradiated with the implemented MEDAPP neutron and photon spectra. The 3D dose distribution calculated inside the head of the phantom was similar to the depth dose curves in the water phantom, with some differences that are explained by differences in elementary composition. The lateral dose distribution was studied at various depths. The calculated cumulative dose volume histograms for the voxel phantom show the exposure of organs at risk surrounding the tumor.ConclusionsIn order to minimize the dose to healthy tissue, a conformal treatment is necessary. This can only be accomplished with the help of an advanced treatment planning system like the one developed here. Although all calculations were done for absorbed dose only, any biological dose weighting can be implemented easily, to take into account the increased radiobiological effectiveness of neutrons compared to photons.

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Fission neutron therapy at FRM II: Indications and first results

Cited by 3 publications

References 5 publications

Neutrons for industry

Neutrons for industry

Neutron medical treatment of tumours — a survey of facilities

First steps towards a fast-neutron therapy planning program

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