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Cancer Zapped in a Flash: New Radiation Therapy Tested
2 Sep
Summary
- New FLASH radiation therapy targets tumors with minimal damage to healthy tissue.
- Treatment time reduced from months to mere seconds.
- Clinical trials are now underway, moving from animals to human patients.
Penn Medicine is currently evaluating an innovative radiation treatment called FLASH, which has the potential to revolutionize cancer care. This advanced proton beam therapy is designed to precisely target and destroy tumors, significantly reducing damage to surrounding healthy tissues.
The FLASH therapy distinguishes itself by its speed, with treatment times reduced to under a second. This dramatic acceleration, compared to traditional radiation therapies that can span months, promises greater convenience for patients. Early data from animal trials, including testing on dogs, has been highly encouraging.
A phase one clinical trial has now commenced with human patients, focusing initially on those with recurrent head and neck cancers. Doctors anticipate that this method will not only be as effective against cancer but will also result in fewer side effects. If research continues positively, this rapid radiation treatment could become a standard option for a wide range of cancers.
