Investigating LETd optimization strategies in carbon ion radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer: a dosimetric study using an anthropomorphic phantom.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Clinical carbon ion beams offer the potential to overcome hypoxia-induced radioresistance in pancreatic tumors, due to their high dose-averaged Linear Energy Transfer (LETd), as previous studies have linked a minimum LETd within the tumor to improved local control. Current clinical practices at the Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT), which use two posterior beams, do not fully exploit the LETd advantage of carbon ions, as the high LETd is primarily focused on the beams' distal edges. Different LETd-boosting strategies, such as Spot-scanning Hadron Arc (SHArc), could enhance LETd distribution by concentrating high-LETd values in potential hypoxic tumor cores while sparing organs at risk.

Purpose

This study aims to investigate and verify different LETd-boostin

SUBMITTER: Baltazar F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11880654 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature