Using thymine-18 for enhancing dose delivery and localizing the Bragg peak in proton-beam therapy

TL;DR

This paper explores how thymine-18 can improve proton-beam therapy by enhancing dose delivery and aiding in precise localization of the Bragg peak, thereby potentially increasing treatment efficacy.

Contribution

It introduces the use of O18-enriched thymine in DNA for better dose control and tumor targeting in proton therapy, combining physics and diagnostic insights.

Findings

Thymine-18 increases cytotoxic effects in resistant cancer cells.

Enrichment with O18 improves Bragg peak localization.

Potential for enhanced proton therapy precision.

Abstract

Therapeutic protons acting on O18-substituted thymidine increase cytotoxicity in radio-resistant human cancer cells. We consider here the physics behind the irradiation during proton beam therapy and diagnosis using O18-enriched thymine in DNA, with attention to the effect of the presence of thymine-18 on cancer cell death.