PARTITUR: Biological and Physical Optimization of Particle Beam Therapy - Radiation Protection for the Patient
PARTITUR
The scientific objective of the project is the development of fundamental radiobiological and radiophysical data and methods as well as the development of new technologies for 12C-particle therapy, which are necessary to decisively improve the therapy of thoracic tumors using this type of radiation.
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common cause of cancer death in Germany. The very poor prognosis is mainly due to the fact that this tumor can only be treated to a very limited extent with current therapies. One reason for this is the tumor's resistance to therapy and the high sensitivity of the healthy lung and the adjacent organs.
The planned radiobiological investigations are intended to clarify which DNA damage generation and repair processes are present after 12C irradiation, how by targeting the two most important signaling pathways a specific radiation sensitization can be achieved, and how by modulating the immune responses after irradiation, a systemic effect of the 12C ions is induced.
With the knowledge gained in this process, a new concept of a local, targeted as well as effective carbon-ion therapy with minimal side effects will be developed.
The data collected in the biological projects will be used to further develop the Local Effect Model (LEM) to provide a more solid basis for the accurate calculation of the biologically effective dose distribution in radiation planning. The model will also be used for comparative risk assessment regarding the induction of secondary tumors. These investigations will be accompanied by new approaches of micro- and nano-dosimetry. With these new methods, RBE data (RBE: Relative Biological Effectiveness) will be obtained based on Monte Carlo based simulations of particle trajectories on sub-cellular scales independent of the local effect model.
A novel technology for rapid and highly conformal particle irradiation will be used to establish methods that enable spatially and temporally precise dose application of carbon ions with high dose rates (FLASH) in the tumor while maximally sparing normal tissue, despite the considerable organ and tumor movement due to respiration and swallowing.
In addition, methods are being developed that will allow the microscopic inhomogeneities of the lung tissue and the associated broadening of the Bragg peak to be taken into account in patient-specific dose calculation and optimization.
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The project is supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) within the scope of the grant Biological and Physical optimization of particle beams - radiation protection for the patient (PARTITUR, Grant 02NUK076) |  |
First Retreat July 2023
First retreat of PARTITUR members on July 18 and 19, 2023 at Martin-Niemöller Haus in Schmitten near Frankfurt/Main.
Teaching Course March 2024
Between March 20th and 22nd, a teaching curriculum was organized by the PARTITUR association in Marburg. With lectures from medicine, biology and physics, the PhD students were prepared for the tasks involved in the project and, in particular, an interdisciplinary understanding of radiation therapy was developed. In addition, the contents of the individual work packages were presented as part of a poster session.
