Overview

Heavy Ion radiotherapy is a kind of radiation therapy, known to be the most effective radiotherapy with the least side effects for various cancers. Most heavy ion therapy uses carbon particle. With carbon ion irradiation, charged carbon nuclei are directed at the cancer to break the DNA of cancer tissue. Clients will receive individually customized treatment devices which enable the irradiation to be shaped same as the cancer mass. The device also works as safeguards to prevent accidents during the treatment. Heavy Ion therapy is only available in few places across the world.

 

 

Treatment Time

The time that the Heavy Ion is actually irradiated to the patient is only about few minutes, and there is no sensation or pain that the patient can feel. The amount of time it takes in the treatment room, for example, to position the patient on a treatment captain and to hold him or her, is about 15 to 20 minutes. The entire treatment period is usually up to 3 weeks, which is generally much shorter than the conventional radiotherapy.

Indications

Heavy Ion therapy can be applied in all theoretically possible cases of X-ray therapy. Thus, if the patient is seriously concerned with the side effect of existing x-ray treatment (e.g.,brain tumors, skull-base tumors, eye tumors, head & neck tumors, early lung cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, uterine cancer, Rectal cancer, bone cancer, and soft tissue cancers.), Heavy Ion therapy is used.

Risks

Its adverse effect varies depending on the area. During the treatment period, there may be loss of appetite and fatigue. However, they can maintain a mild and relatively active lifestyle than conventional radiation therapy. Post treatment’s side effects are also expected to be much lower than the existing radiation therapy. It is generally not recommended for a metastatic cancer patient to receive this therapy due to its high recurrence. However if necessary, we recommend you to consult with a radio-oncologist.

Heavy ion therapy is available at

Japan

• Gunma University Heavy-Ion Medical Center
• The Hospital of the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS)
• Hyogo Ion Beam Medical Center

Germany

• Heidelberg Ion Therapy Center