Developing World Leading Research on Proton Therapy for Cancer
Kristian Smeland Ytre-Hauge has been selected as one of four top researchers in Norway to receive funding for establishing a world leading research environment within his field.
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“One of the main aims of the BioPrecise Protons project is to increase the precision of treatment so that we can, to a greater extent, avoid irradiating the healthy tissue surrounding the tumor,” says Kristian Smeland Ytre-Hauge, Professor of Medical Physics at the University of Bergen (UiB).
Together with partners at the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Haukeland University Hospital and Oslo University Hospital, Ytre-Hauge will lead an eight‑year initiative to conduct research on proton therapy, generating new knowledge and advancing future treatment methods.
Proton therapy is relevant for a range of cancers, including brain tumors and cancers of the head and neck region. Children will be given priority for proton therapy at the newly established facilities in Norway, as they are more susceptible to long‑term side effects after radiotherapy.
What is proton therapy?
“Proton therapy is one of the most advanced forms of radiotherapy for cancer, but current clinical practice still does not fully exploit the potential of protons. This is due to gaps in knowledge related to their biological effect and limitations in precise dose delivery.”
Proton therapy is a type of radiotherapy in which high‑energy protons (hydrogen nuclei) are directed at the patient’s tumor. Protons have different physical properties from photons and can deliver most of the radiation dose at a specific depth (The Norwegian Cancer Society).
“Our project will combine computer simulations, cell and animal studies, and new detector technology to strengthen knowledge about proton therapy and increase the precision of radiation doses. We aim to improve the calculation of treatment effects and develop new methods for more targeted and effective irradiation of radioresistant tumors.”
Improved treatment reduces radiation damage
Ytre-Hauge emphasizes that although proton therapy is already an effective treatment, there remains significant potential for developing methods that spare even more healthy tissue and increase precision.
“To account for limitations in precision, we currently add safety margins around the tumor—meaning that a somewhat larger area than the tumor itself is irradiated.”
Because healthy tissue close to the tumor typically receives the highest doses alongside the tumor, increased precision and reduced safety margins would constitute a major advance, improving patients’ quality of life after treatment.
It may also make it possible to increase the dose delivered to the tumor itself, thereby raising cure rates in certain patient groups.
“Due to the physical properties of protons, we can adjust the beam so that the protons stop within the tumor and cause local damage there. With accurate control of the proton beam, it becomes possible to deliver high radiation doses to tumors located near radiation‑sensitive organs—such as in the brain. In this way, we achieve both effective treatment and minimize radiation damage to healthy tissue,” says Ytre-Hauge.
Radiobiological research
“A central component of the project is increased investment in radiobiological research. Although proton therapy offers clear physical advantages, we still lack sufficient knowledge of how proton radiation affects cells and tissues at the biological level”.
The project will therefore provide new insight into the relationship between radiation dose, biological effect and treatment response—knowledge that is crucial to realising the full potential of proton therapy.
Each of the four projects selected by the Research Council of Norway receives NOK 40 million and requires collaboration between two or more leading researchers.