Abstract
Carbon ion radiotherapy (C-ion RT) offers superior dose conformity in the treatment of deep-seated tumors compared with conventional X-ray therapy. In addition, carbon ion beams have a higher relative biological effectiveness compared with protons or X-ray beams. C-ion RT for the first patient at Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center (GHMC) was initiated in March of 2010. The major specifications of the facility were determined based on the experience of clinical treatments at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS), with the size and cost being reduced to one-third of those at NIRS. The currently indicated sites of cancer treatment at GHMC are lung, prostate, head and neck, liver, rectum, bone and soft tissue. Between March 2010 and July 2011, a total of 177 patients were treated at GHMC although a total of 100 patients was the design specification during the period in considering the optimal machine performance. In the present article, we introduce the facility set-up of GHMC, including the facility design, treatment planning systems, and clinical preparations.
Highlights
The application of radiotherapy (RT) is based on the fundamental principle of achieving precise dose localization in the target lesion while causing minimal damage to surrounding normal tissues
Based on the design and R&D studies carried out by National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS), the size and cost of the machine could be reduced to one-third of those of NIRS
We introduce the facility set-up of Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center (GHMC), including the facility design, treatment planning systems, and clinical preparations
Summary
The application of radiotherapy (RT) is based on the fundamental principle of achieving precise dose localization in the target lesion while causing minimal damage to surrounding normal tissues. This expansionary trend of charged particle therapy has attracted growing interest in setting up such a facility, the costs are high and much time is required compared with conventional photon therapy. The National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) put into operation the first C-ion RT facility in Japan using the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC), and it has been used to treat cancers of various types in more than 6,000 patients [3]. Many promising clinical outcomes have been reported from NIRS [4,5], the high construction and operation costs of the accelerator system was one of the problems facing subsequent facilities being planned for C-ion RT. We introduce the facility set-up of GHMC, including the facility design, treatment planning systems, and clinical preparations
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