Particle therapy - precision in cancer therapy: inaugural lecture by Piero Fossati and Markus Stock
The inaugural lectures of Prof. Dr. Piero Fossati MD, Professor of Radiation Oncology, and Prof. PD DI Markus Stock PhD, Professor of Medical Physics, took place on 6 November 2024 in the KL Krems auditorium under the title "Particle therapy - maximising precision in cancer therapy: medical physics and radiooncology discourse".
The laudatory speech was given by Prof. Dr Eugen B. Hug, Medical Director and Co-Managing Director of the MedAustron Ion Therapy and Research Centre, a cooperation partner of KL Krems.
The lectures provided insights into the medical-physical/technological and radio-oncological challenges of patient-specific and highly individualised cancer treatment. Potential research approaches were presented and discussed. Around 80 guests took part in the event.
Precise and effective: cancer treatment using ion therapy
Particle therapy has been an important part of oncological care in Austria since the start of treatments at the MedAustron Ion Therapy Centre in 2016. Particle therapy with different types of ions is not only unique in Austria but also a broad field of research in an international context. The physical and biological properties of the beams generated with a particle accelerator open up a new dimension of precision and effectiveness and result in gentler irradiation of certain tumours. This fact is leading to a rapid international increase in treatment centres.
Despite established indications and routine treatment operations, the enormous potential of particle therapy is far from exhausted and requires medical physics and radio-oncological research. As a result, therapy concepts can be expanded, personalised, adapted and optimised on a multidisciplinary basis. The combination with new systemic forms of therapy and embedding in the Lower Austrian Oncocluster is also essential.
