Heavy-Ion Therapy at GSI: Progress Report

In 2000 three Carbon beam blocks were used to treat 32 patients suffering from skull base tumors such as chordomas, chondrosarcomas, adenoid cystic carcinomas and other less frequent indications. Partially these ongoing clinical trials have reached phase II level. In total 73 patients have been treated within this experimental programme and the overwhelming part of treatments had a curative intention [1,2]. The very promising local control rate as well as the low treatment related toxicity rate kick off new clinical goals like a dose escalation or the treatment of extracranial locations. In preparation of treatments in the pelvic region a dedicated immobilization device was tested at GSI (see figure 1) and the mandatory approval is under way.