Revised edition of: Practical radiobiology for proton therapy planning.

"Version: 20240701"--Title page verso.

Includes bibliographical references.

1. Particle physics for biological interactions -- 1.1. Physical beam parameters, essential dosimetry and reference (or control) radiation requirements for RBE studies -- 1.2. Physics interacting with biology

2. The essential radiobiology background -- 2.1. Introduction -- 2.2. Background and models -- 2.3. The [alpha]/[beta] ratio and its choice for modelling particle therapies -- 2.4. The design of experiments for RBE determination and other purposes

3. Medical and surgical considerations that influence radiation tolerances, including interpretation of clinical trials -- 3.1. Introduction -- 3.2. Surgery -- 3.3. Cytotoxic chemotherapies -- 3.4. Age and other medical conditions -- 3.5. Reductions in prescribed dose -- 3.6. Interpretation of the case histories and literature -- 3.7. Clinical trials -- 3.8. Ethical issues -- 3.9. Mixed end points -- 3.10. The importance of follow-up -- 3.11. Publication bias

4. Treatment planning and further medical perspectives -- 4.1. Introduction

5. Historical development of radiotherapy : what was learned from fast neutrons including their linkage with proton relative biological effect -- 5.1. Introduction -- 5.2. A brief synopsis -- 5.3. Neutron therapy -- 5.4. More recent developments based on neutron studies -- 5.5. Estimation of neutron RBE from neutron energy -- 5.6. Some important conclusions

6. Fractionation modelling -- 6.1. Introduction and background radiobiology -- 6.2. A brief history of fractionation -- 6.3. Modelling of fractionation -- 6.4. The use of the linear quadratic model with large fraction sizes -- 6.5. Optimisation of fractionation using calculus methods -- 6.6. Other contributions to fractionation -- 6.7. Summary

7. The scientific case for using a variable proton RBE rather than a constant RBE -- 7.1. Introduction -- 7.2. Discussion

8. A general RBE linear energy-efficiency model for protons and light ions -- 8.1. Introduction -- 8.2. The available experimental data and its important limitations -- 8.3. Description of the Z-specific model -- 8.4. The graphical results -- 8.5. Further investigations : properties of LETU -- 8.6. Conclusions and what remains to be done

9. Inclusion of the energy-efficiency LET and RBE model in proton therapy -- 9.1. Introduction -- 9.2. RBE uncertainties -- 9.3. Description of the quantitative model -- 9.4. RBE graphical examples -- 9.5. Some comparisons with experimental data sets -- 9.6. Two clinical examples where PBT could be sub-optimal -- 9.7. Prediction of tumour response from the RBE increment -- 9.8. Intensification of dose rates -- 9.9. Concluding discussion

10. Proton therapy risk assessment using small increments in RBE in the central nervous system and estimation of remission times -- 10.1. Introduction -- 10.2. Methods -- 10.3. Results -- 10.4. Discussion -- 10.5. Conclusions

11. Radiobiological interpretation of the finding of RBE changes within similar SOBPs placed at superficial and deep locations in passively scattered beams but not in scanned pencil beams -- 11.1. Introduction -- 11.2. Methods -- 11.3. Results -- 11.4. Discussion -- 11.5. Conclusions

12. Particle therapy dose-time compensations in unintended interruptions and re-treatments -- 12.1. Introduction -- 12.2. Unintended treatment interruptions -- 12.3. Re-treatments

13. Errors of Bragg peak positioning and their radio-biological correction -- 13.1. Introduction -- 13.2. Model description -- 13.3. Conclusions

14. What remains to be done : including FLASH dose rates and conclusions -- 14.1. Introduction -- 14.2. Dose escalation where circumstances permit -- 14.3. Simultaneous 'sensitisation' effects by new therapies -- 14.4. Sensitivity analysis of the energy-efficiency model -- 14.5. What could be achieved in a single international laboratory dedicated to high-LET radiobiology -- 14.6. Some untested situations -- 14.7. Conclusions.

Full-text restricted to subscribers or individual document purchasers.

This book is an extension and major update of the author's previous work, titled Practical Radiobiology for Proton Therapy Planning (IOP Publishing 2018). The book describes the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) issues within proton therapy and advises on how to use a variable RBE within treatment planning and in dose prescription to improve the safety of proton and other forms on ion beam therapy. Decision-making advice is also provided for protocol breaches, retreatments, dose rate effects and risk assessment. This book is intended for those who already have basic knowledge of radiotherapy and radiobiology, although there is guidance through the fundamental principles for those who are 'discipline crossing'. Part of IPEM-IOP Series in Physics and Engineering in Medicine and Biology.

Medical engineering, biomedical engineers, clinicians specializing in proton therapy and radiotherapy and radiobiology. Proton therapy centers and large regional cancer centers.

Also available in print.

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader, EPUB reader, or Kindle reader.

Bleddyn Jones, MD ScD FRCR, is an Emeritus Professor of Clinical Radiation Biology, University of Oxford. He has had over 40 years of interest and high impact research in neutron, proton and ion beam therapy and its associated radiobiology. He has made extensive contributions to the quantitative understanding of the relative biological effectiveness of particle therapy from the ballistic properties to their cellular and tissue effects. This includes many practical applications based on specific clinical situations, to guide proton therapy to safer and more effective outcomes.

Title from PDF title page (viewed on August 1, 2024).