The fight against cancer does more and more scientists around the world. We constantly create new treatments and improve existing ones. And recently, as reported by the domestic edition of Biophysics, Russian scientists were able to successfully complete a series of experiments for the destruction of cancer using beams of protons. In addition, the experts were able to prove that this technique is much more effective and safer than conventional radiotherapy.
Using the method of proton therapy instead of standard radiation was actively discussed in the world community in the last decade. Protons, unlike electrons or gamma radiation, are more “precisely” and less affect healthy tissue when exposed to the tumor, which allows to apply them for cancer of the brain, bones and other organs, surgical treatment is extremely difficult. The only problem is the high cost of the procedure, as it required a particle accelerator. It tells the employee of Institute of theoretical and experimental Biophysics RAS, Pushchino, Olga Rozanova,
“Proton therapy, we hope, will be effective in the treatment of radioresistant cancers, localized in the neighborhood of important organs. These include, primarily, the tumors in the neck and brain. This type of cancer often affects children”.
A group of scientists led by Svetlana Zaikinoj of ITEB RAS conducted a series of experiments on mice with cancer. Experts of mice irradiated by protons with complex “Prometheus”, created by scientists from the physics Institute in Protvino, changing the number of sessions of proton therapy, duration of irradiation and power of the beam. In the course of research found out that even short sessions of irradiation has a positive effect on the health of mice the growth of tumors in their body on average has slowed down to 5-6 times. Worked best “sighting” of proton therapy aimed only at the tumor itself – in such cases, over 80% of the rodents escaped from the primary cancer. Mouse, whose body was illuminated by a wider beam of particles, only in 45% of cases were able to cope with tumor.
It is worth noting that after getting rid of the primary cancer and recurrence of the tumor could not be avoided: in 60% of mice cured after some time there was a new tumor. However, mice which were irradiated with protons more precisely, he lived three months longer than their counterparts, and animals in which no recurrence occurred, lived for about two years. As an average and live healthy mouse.
Based on this it was concluded that proton therapy works more quickly and effectively than conventional radiotherapy, especially if you restrict its action only to the area within the tumor itself. In addition, the high efficiency of the protons suggests that the treatment can be limited to two or even one session. This will reduce its cost and help to save the lives of patients with brain tumors and other inoperable tumors.
Based on materials of RIA “news”
Russian researchers have successfully completed experiments on the destruction of cancer using protons
Vladimir Kuznetsov