Hadron particle therapy

Hadron therapy is a maturing field, with strengths and weaknesses that have been clearly identified. For certain tumour types, particles have become the treatment of choice, and hospital-based implementation of these techniques are coming on line. Focused R&D programs in critical areas of beam-delivery, treatment planning and radiobiology are underway at many centers around the world, increasing the scientific and technological base needed to best utilize these modalities. Cancer is a highly complex disease; effective control requires a wide arsenal of treatment techniques. The flexibility and precision of hadron therapy are powerful tools in this arena, and promise to provide great improvements in our health-care when fully understood and implemented