Conventional radiation therapy directs photons (X-rays) and
electrons at tumours with the intent of eradicating the neoplastic
tissue while preserving adjacent normal tissue. Radiationinduced
damage to healthy tissue and second malignancies
are always a concern. Proton beam radiotherapy, one form of
charged particle therapy, allows for excellent dose distributions,
with the added benefit of no exit dose. These characteristics
make this form of radiotherapy an excellent choice for
the treatment of tumours located next to critical structures.
Although proton therapy is clearly capable of providing superior
dose distributions as compared with photons, there are
still some questions remain unanswered. Current evidence
provides a limited indication for PBT. Actual clinical studies
are needed to validate the virtual clinical data. This review focuses
specifically on the clinical outcomes and adverse events
with charged particle radiation therapy compared with other
treatments in patients with cancer.
Keywords: Clinical practice; proton therapy; radiotherapy
