LhARA: A radiobiological cancer therapy

Problem Addressed:

Traditional X-ray therapy uses high-energy photons to treat tumours but can damage healthy tissue. New techniques are envisaged where proton beams (rather than photon beams) are directed at a tumour. This deposits energy more precisely within tumours, sparing healthy tissue. However, existing proton machines are large and expensive.

How LhARA Addresses It:

Proton beam machines are mainly cyclotron-based, often large and expensive to use and operate, so there exists a need to develop smaller, cheaper and more flexible machines. LhARA aims to develop smaller, more flexible proton machines for producing a range of particles at different energies using high-power lasers. These machines can deliver short, intense pulses and micro-beams, enhancing cancer cell killing while minimising harm to healthy tissue. LhARA aims to open PBT to the many and enable the investigation of radio-biological interactions to improve treatments and explore laser-hybrid accelerators.

LhARA will integrate cutting-edge technologies including:

• Laser-driven proton & ion source: This component generates short, intense pulses for “FLASH” radiation and tightly focused mini-beams. Unlike traditional methods, LhARA achieves this without collimation.
• Electron Plasma (Gabor) Lens: Laser-driven ion sources create highly divergent beams, with a large energy spread that can vary up to 25% pulse by pulse. A Gabor lens is a cost-effective alternative to conventional solenoids and provides strong focusing capabilities.
• Post Acceleration using Fixed-Field Alternating (FFA) Gradient Accelerator: Rapid acceleration will be performed using a Fixed-field alternating-gradient accelerator which allows flexibility in adjusting the time, energy, and spatial structure of the ion beam. Collaboration with major UK institute groups in ion-source lasers and accelerators ensures robust development.
• Intelligent automation for patient positioning.
• Novel instrumentation & diagnostics including Ion-acoustic imaging.

Benefits

• Higher Beam Energy: LhARA will provide proton and ion beams at much higher energies than traditional methods, allowing for new applications.
• Breaching the Dose Rate Limit: LhARA surpasses the current limit on how much radiation can be delivered at once, potentially improving treatment times.
• Enhanced Precision: LhARA offers a more precise way to deliver particle beam therapy (PBT) compared to conventional methods like X-rays.
• Cost-Effective Technology: The machinery needed for LhARA is expected to be smaller, cheaper, and more adaptable than existing facilities.
• Advanced Radiobiological Research: LhARA will enable a deeper understanding of the radiobiological interactions that occur during PBT.