Proton Therapy: A New Tool for Treating Cancer

One of the most effective ways of combating cancer is radiation therapy. Traditionally, radiation therapy uses photons in the form of high-energy x-ray radiation, which ionizes (i.e. removes or adds an electron) atoms in the DNA chains of cancerous cells. This changes the chemical properties of the atom, damaging the DNA and preventing the cancerous cell from multiplying. Une des facons les plus efficaces de combattre le cancer est la radiotherapie. Traditionnellement, la radiotherapie utilise des photons en forme de rayonnement ionisant a haute energie, ce qui ionise (c.-a-d., retire ou ajoute un electron) les atomes dans la chaine ADN des cellules cancereuses. Ceci change les proprietes chimiques de l’atome, endommageant l’ADN et empechant la multiplication des cellules cancereuses.