Conventional radiotherapy with X-rays is being replaced by radiotherapy with high-energy charged particles, an approach that better spares healthy tissue from radiation but is associated with higher costs. Evidence supporting the cost-effectiveness of either modality can only come from the results of randomized clinical trials. The authors of this Review discuss ongoing randomized trials of charged-particle therapies as well as aspects related to radiobiology, which need to be taken into account in order to fully exploit the therapeutic potential of charged particles.
- Marco Durante
- Roberto Orecchia
- Jay S. Loeffler
