Newsletter
Center for Proton Therapy :: Paul Scherrer Institut :: #1_10/2013
Dear Colleagues
abroad, given the lack of prospective trials added value of this therapy to patients and so-
Lastly, intra- and inter-fractional motion is a
demonstrating clear benefit over other radiation ciety. This was indeed the mission given by the major issue for PBS. Our forth insert deals with Welcome to the first-quarter edition of this PSI treatment options that are currently available.
Highly Specialized Medicine scientific commit-
4Dplanning for proton therapy. Parenthetically,
newsletter. It is of upmost importance that PSI’s
The keen interest in proton therapy is based on tee of the GDK to CPT. This will allow proton a workshop is organized end of November at PSI.
Center for Proton Therapy (CPT) informs radiation
mainly theoretical advantages. Key to these is therapy to more fully reach its potential as a For more information, do not hesitate to visit our
oncologists and medical physicists working in
to reduce radiation-exposure to normal tissue
Switzerland of the clinical program and foreseen and the possible minimization of acute and long
valuable and effective treatment to help fight web site: http://www.psi.ch/4d-treatmentcancer for Swiss patients. At CPT, protons are
planning-workshop-2013/. Ultimately, careful
technical developments of proton therapy at PSI.
term side effects. As we move toward compara- used currently for a number of cancers, including, science and clinical expertise are keystones for
As such, I have made the decision, and commit-
tive effectiveness research, value-based medi-
ment, to publish info-news several times yearly cine, care paths, and emphasis on cost-effective
but not limited, to cranial meningiomas, pedi- proton beam therapy moving forward. I value the atric cancers and skull-base or sacral tumors.
in order to keep the Radiation Oncology com- care, the value and benefit from protons will In this newsletter we also give some information
expertise in the Swiss Radiation Oncology, be it from the physician’s side or the medical physi-
munity informed.
have to undergo additional scrutiny. Unfortu- on our new treatment unit Gantry 2, which has cist’s side. As in the previous decade, CPT is open
In this edition, two of our inserts deals with
nately, little consensus exists on whether the just been clinically commissioned. The beam to any initiative stemming from this community.
prospective clinical trials of proton therapy for dosimetric advantages translate to better out-
characteristics are a game changer in the proton As Chairman, I can only stress on the significance
sarcoma and breast cancer patients. Importantly, comes, except for pediatric cancers, and skull therapy field, with beam sigma values of 2.2 mm of networking. Should you have any input to give these trials are open to all Swiss-resident cancer
base and sacral tumors. In my opinion, it is for Pencil Beam Scanning (PBS) at high energy.
in our program, do not hesitate to contact one of
patients. Should you have any queries, please
important that current and future users of this This Gantry will enable the CPT team to deliver
my team or myself. Let us bring together this
contact the respective PIs. It is of paramount technology participate in clinical trials, apply PBS to cancer patients in an unmatched conforimportance that patients should be accrued in
this treatment modality cautiously, and conduct mation, with rescanning and repainting capa-
prospective clinical trials in Switzerland and treatment and follow-up that can assess the true
bilities in due time.
technology in full clinical maturity together. Sincerely, Prof. Damien Charles Weber, Head of CPT