First human clinical trial to test precision form of FLASH proton therapy
A new form of proton therapy—designed to deliver cancer-killing radiation therapy in less than a second, through fewer sessions, with potentially less risk of damaging side effects—is now being tested in a phase 1 clinical trial at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania. Known as FLASH proton therapy, the feasibility study represents the first time that the "conformal," or…
The Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania is now testing a groundbreaking form of proton therapy called FLASH proton therapy in a phase 1 clinical trial. This new treatment delivers cancer-killing radiation in less than a second, using fewer sessions and potentially causing less damage to healthy tissue. The study will enroll 10 patients with recurrent head and neck cancer who are not candidates for surgery.
Patients with this type of cancer typically face a poor prognosis and severe side effects from radiation therapy, which can affect vital functions like eating, drinking, and swallowing. The FLASH protocol requires only five treatments over about 10 days, compared to the typical daily radiation therapy regimen of 25-35 sessions over five to six weeks.
Conformal, or precise 3D targeting, will be used to deliver the radiation to the exact tumor boundaries, sparing healthy tissue. The clinical trial is being conducted at the Roberts Proton Therapy Center and is sponsored by Ion Beam Applications (IBA).
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