Ion Therapy Safe & Efficacious for Treatment of Skull Base Cancer

WIENER NEUSTADT, Austria - Aug. 17, 2023 - PRLog -- The MedAustron Center for Ion Therapy has demonstrated the safety and efficacy of both, proton and carbon ion therapy for the treatment of skull based chordomas, a bone located cancer. In a recent publication in Cancers the institution presented conclusive data from the treatment of 44 patients with this rare cancer. All patients were treated at MedAustron between August 2017 and October 2021 and received either proton or carbon ion therapy. The study shows that tumors with a volume below 49 cc could be extremely well controlled. The results underline the effectiveness of ion therapy and stress the importance of maximal debulking of larger tumors prior to particle therapy.

Particle therapy is state-of-the-art for cancer treatment. It is based on charged particles such as protons or carbon ions that are targeted at tumors with high energy. One of its main advantages over radiotherapy (e.g. x-ray) is the fact that the particle beams can be stopped in a precise location of the tissue, thereby reducing the exposure of healthy tissue. However, generating particle beams requires a particle accelerator. A fact that limits the number of particle beam facilities throughout the world to approx. 100 in around 20 countries. MedAustron in Wiener Neustadt/Austria is one of such sites. Now scientists here published a first analysis of a mono-institutional experience of treating a cancer that is highly resistant to radiotherapy, the skull base chordoma (a rare cancer located in bones).

Original Publication

Proton or carbon ion therapy for skull base chordoma: Rationale and first analysis of a mono-institutional experience. Tubin, S.; Fossati, P.; Mock, U.; Lütgendorf-Caucig, C.; Flechl, B.; Pelak, M.; Georg, P.; Fussl, C.; Carlino, A.; Stock, M. & Hug, E. 2023, 15, 2093. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15072093

Scientific Contact

Dr. Slavisa Tubin

EBG MedAustron GmbH

Marie Curie-Straße 5

2700 Wiener Neustadt / Austria

T +43 2622 26 100  401

E slavisa.tubin@medaustron.at

W https://www.medaustron.at

W https://www.kl.ac.at/

PR MedAustron

Petra Wurzer

EBG MedAustron GmbH

Marie Curie-Straße 5

2700 Wiener Neustadt  / Austria

T +43 2622 26100 111

E petra.wurzer@medaustron.at

W https://www.medaustron.at

Copy Editing & Distribution

PR&D – Public Relations for Research & Education

Dr. Barbara Bauder

Kollersteig 68

3400 Klosterneuburg / Austria

M +43 664 1576 350

E bauder@prd.at

W (https://www.kl.ac.at/) https://www.prd.at/