Open AccessCarbon Ion Radiotherapy in the Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Author(s) -
Belal Abousaida,
Danushka S. Seneviratne,
B.S. Hoppe,
Stephen Ko,
Aroumougame Asaithamby,
Francis A. Cucinotta,
Jessica Kirwan,
Kabir Mody,
Beau B. Toskich,
Jonathan B. Ashman,
Christopher L. Hallemeier,
Sunil Krishnan
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of hepatocellular carcinoma
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2253-5969
DOI - 10.2147/jhc.s292516
Subject(s) - hepatocellular carcinoma , carbon ion radiotherapy , radiation therapy , medicine , radiation treatment planning , oncology , proton therapy , cancer research , medical physics , radiology
Localized hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that is unresectable and non-transplantable can be treated by several liver-directed therapies. External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is an increasingly accepted and widely utilized treatment modality in this setting. Accelerated charged particles such as proton beam therapy (PBT) and carbon ion radiation therapy (CIRT) offer technological advancements over conventional photon radiotherapy. In this review, we summarize the distinct advantages of CIRT use for HCC treatment, focusing on physical and biological attributes, and outline dosimetric and treatment planning caveats. Based on these considerations, we posit that HCC may be among the best indications for use of CIRT, as it allows for maximizing tumoricidal doses to the target volume while minimizing the dose to the organs at risk.