High Energy Physics to Proton Radiotherapy

In the UK, 1 in 2 people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and over 50% of patients will receive radiotherapy as part of their treatment. The idea of using protons to treat cancer was first proposed by Robert Wilson in 1946 but it was not until 1989 when the first patient was treated in a clinical environment. In recent years there has been a boom in facilities offering proton therapy around the world including multiple sites operational or under construction in the UK. To fully utilise the potential of protons we need to accurately know the composition of the patient to ensure that the characteristic Bragg Peak from protons occurs in the tumour. In this talk, I will briefly describe proton radiotherapy, the current clinical workflow, our project on proton Computed Tomography to enhance proton therapy, and uses of devices developed for High Energy Physics detectors to monitor and verify radiotherapy treatments.