BACKGROUND Particle irradiation was established at the University of Heidelberg 2 years ago. To date, more than 400 patients have been treated including patients with primary brain tumors. In malignant glioma (WHO IV) patients, two clinical trials have been set up-one investigating the benefit of a carbon ion (18 GyE) vs. a proton boost (10 GyE) in addition to photon radiotherapy (50 Gy), the o...

From 1997 to 2008 the treatment of more than 400 patients with C ions at the experimental heavy ion treatment facility at GSI has been successfully monitored in vivo and in situ by means of 3D in-beam PET. The promising clinical results of the ion therapy for static tumor entities encourages to apply it to more frequent ones like lung cancer. Due to the sensitivity of the ion range to density c...

The production of ion beams from the interaction of a circularly polarized laser pulse with a nanometric double-layer target is discussed in the regime where all electrons are expelled from the target by the laser radiation pressure. Quasi-monochromatic, well-collimated ion beams are observed in two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. The ion beam properties are derived from a simple anal...

Transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels are essential for normal functions and health by acting as molecular sensors and transducing various stimuli into cellular and physiological responses. Growing evidence has revealed that TRP ion channels play important roles in a wide range of human diseases, including malignancies. In light of recent discoveries, it has been found that TRP melast...

Radiation therapy (RT) developed in several eras. Patients’ needs for more effective treatment guided the efforts. The development of ion beam therapy (IBT) can be seen as a corollary in this continuous endeavor to optimize disease control while minimizing normal-tissue damage. It could not have materialized, however, without the curiosity, ingenuity, and perseverance of researchers, engineers,...

Studies of the structure of particle tracks have led to models of track effects based on radial dose and radiobiological target theory that have been very successful in describing and predicting track effects in physical, chemical, and biological systems. For describing mammalian cellular inactivation two inactivation modes are required, called gamma-kill and ion-kill, the first due to synergis...

A dedicated clinical synchrotron facility for cancer therapy using energetic proton and ion beams (C, He and O) has been designed at GSI for the Radiologische Universitätsklinik at Heidelberg, Germany. The design of the injector linac is presented. Suitable ion sources are discussed and results of ion source test measurements are reported. The LEBT allows for switching between two ion sources. ...