Revolutionary proton therapy: Dresden sets new standards in the fight against cancer!

Revolutionary proton therapy: Dresden sets new standards in the fight against cancer!

Dresden, Deutschland - in Dresden is just doing great in the world of radiation therapy. Scientists and doctors at Oncoray - the National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology - have developed a new process that could revolutionize the treatment of cancer patients. "We are taking new ways by linking a full body MRI to a proton therapy system," explains Professor Aswin Hoffmann, who heads the research group "Experimental MR-Integrated Proton Therapy". The result? A unique prototype worldwide was inaugurated in January 2024 in the presence of Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer.

Radiation therapy has long been a proven method to combat malignant tumors, the main goal in damaging the DNA in these cells and thus destroying it. Proton ray therapy in particular has proven to be gentle on patients. So far, however, these protons have often also entered healthy tissue, which was caused by inaccurate measurements. The new technology now promises more precise planning of radiation, which significantly increases the chances of recovery.

innovative technology for more precise treatments

The new device on the Oncoray is a real ray of hope for all those who are familiar with the challenges of radiation therapy. Previous CTS were able to narrow down security areas of radiation by 35 percent, but these were only suitable for immovable tumors, such as in the head or pelvic area. The new oncoray system, on the other hand, enables simultaneous imaging and radiation therapy during treatment for the first time in practice. That sounds like science fiction, but is a reality.

The technology that is used here is a crucial progress. Christian Richter from the Department of Medical radiation physics describes the advantages of PCCT technology: "We can take better and more precise CT shots and probably even reduce the imaging dose." The prototype will be necessary to test the methods even with movable tumors in the chest, abdomen and pelvis, whereby real-time imaging through the MRI opens a completely new dimension.

on the right way to individualize the therapy

The challenge of combining the proton radiation system with the MRI was masterfully mastered. A central goal of this development is to improve the accuracy of proton therapy. "We want to individualize the treatment so that it is optimally tailored to the needs of each individual patient," emphasizes Professor Sebastian M. Schmidt. This means that tumors are delimited from healthy tissue, which means that the treatment strategies can be clearly optimized.

An international community of researchers and industrial partners, including ASG Superconductors and Magnettx Oncology Solutions, has participated in the development. This comprehensive commitment shows how important progress in this area is. In this context, the Saxon Minister of Science Sebastian Gemkow emphasized the importance of the new technology and explained that oncoray is striving to actively shape the digital future of cancer therapy.

The prototype is being scientifically tried and tested for a few more years, but one is certain that in about ten years all CTS that are used in quantitative imaging will be based on these innovative technologies. The hopes are great, not only for the development of radiation therapy, but especially for the patients who could benefit from these advanced treatment approaches in the future.

When it comes to quality of life and chances of recovery, we should never let up, this groundbreaking development in Dresden shows all too clearly. The future looks promising and this innovative technology could soon be the key to combating cancer.

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