Recent tests at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory have shown promising results in using magnets to potentially enhance cancer treatment. A small array of magnets, developed as part of the Lab’s nuclear physics research, has demonstrated the ability to transport beams of cancer-killing protons across a wide range of energies, from 50 to 250 million electron volts (MeV). This energy range could lead to more effective cancer treatments.
Stephen Brooks, a physicist at Brookhaven Lab and designer of the fixed-field magnets, stated that this is “the highest energy ever for this sort of beamline.” The project aims to develop an accelerator using this technology, allowing physicians to quickly switch between beam energies and deliver fast proton doses throughout a tumor’s depth.
Samuel Ryu, chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at Stony Brook Medicine, collaborated with the Brookhaven team on this project. He noted that when radiation is delivered in very high doses rapidly—known as FLASH treatment—”adjacent normal tissues appear to be better preserved.” Building an accelerator capable of achieving such doses would enable researchers to test and further develop this technology.
Abhay Deshpande, Associate Laboratory Director for Nuclear and Particle Physics at Brookhaven Lab and professor of physics at Stony Brook University, emphasized the societal benefits derived from advances in accelerator science and technology. He highlighted how research conducted at DOE national laboratories can directly benefit society.
The team plans further steps to explore variable-energy FLASH proton treatment’s potential. Ryu expressed his desire to move this technology into patient care during his career. The project received funding from Brookhaven Lab’s Laboratory Directed Research and Development program and seed funding from Stony Brook University.
