Proton Cancer Therapy: Using Laser Accelerate Protons for Radiation Therapy

Abstract

High intensity lasers have been shown to accelerate protons to high energies. These protons are energetic enough to be used in treating cancers and tumors up to three centimeters deep. Protons are advantageous to use because they do not cause as much damage to healthy cells in the body then other radiation sources, e.g. photons. Simulations using MCNP show the radiation dose received by an intraocular melanoma would require 106 protons to deliver a dose of 1.2 Gy to the tumor. The simulations also show that protons do a better job of giving less dosage to healthy cells compared to the same dose delivered using x-rays. Further research needs to be done to find ways to accelerate protons to higher energies.