The societal impact of ion beam therapy

TL;DR

This paper discusses how ion beam therapy can be made more accessible and effective through technological innovations, cost reduction, and societal impact assessment using DALY metrics.

Contribution

It proposes a framework for democratizing ion beam therapy by integrating model-based patient selection, new technologies, and societal impact quantification.

Findings

DALY can quantify societal benefits of ion beam therapy.

Technological innovations can improve treatment delivery.

Cost reduction is essential for wider adoption.

Abstract

Ion beam therapy should be "democratized" through model-based patient selection, innovative technologies for better and faster treatment delivery, and substantial size and cost reduction. The disability-adjusted life year (DALY) concept can be used to quantify the societal benefit.