UCL Cancer Institute Multidisciplinary Seminar Series

The UCL Cancer Institute Multidisciplinary Seminar Series highlights research from disciplines across UCL. The monthly seminars aim to present new and exciting work to Cancer Institute researchers and to forge collaborations across different disciplines in UCL.

RADAR – Radiotherapy Advances and Research for Prostate Cancer

RADAR –Radiotherapy Advances and Research for Prostate Cancer

Professor Heather Payne - Consultant in Clinical Oncology, UCLH

Radiotherapy is the therapeutic use of ionising radiation. X-Rays were first used in the treatment of cancer over 100 years ago by Freund, a German surgeon. Since that time, our understanding of the effects of ionising radiation on malignant and normal tissues has progressed through the field of radiobiology. In parallel with this, our knowledge of radiation physics has advanced together with significant technological developments in treatment planning and delivery. Prostate radiotherapy has changed dramatically in the seventeen years that I have worked as a consultant Clinical Oncologist in urological tumours at UCH. As a young trainee this often involved as much ‘art’ as ‘science’ and there was a degree of educated guess work as we estimated the position of the prostate and its surrounding structures on two-dimensional X Ray films in order to plan our treatments.

There is evidence for prostate cancer that increased radiation dose is associated with increased cancer cell kill. However, the dose that can be safely delivered by external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) is limited by the tolerance of the surrounding normal structures (bladder, rectum and bowel). It sounds obvious to state that the overall effectiveness of radiotherapy is a result of the balance between doses that are high enough to kill cancer but not cause irreparable damage of the normal tissues. However it is this ‘Therapeutic Ratio’ that is the basis of good radiotherapy practice and the principle behind ongoing research projects aiming to find the optimal dose for treatment.

There are many novel new techniques for radiotherapy delivery including Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) , Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT), High Dose Rate Brachytherapy and Proton Beam Therapy. At UCH we are also investigating ways of reducing rectal toxicity using pre-rectal spacers and bladder toxicity with Cystistat infusions to introduce  a new generation of therapy

Research opportunities in proton therapy

Research opportunities in proton therapy

Professor Gary Royle - UCL Dept. of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Proton Therapy Research Lead, Head of Proton and Advanced Radiotherapy Research Group.

The Department of Health has commissioned two high-energy proton therapy clinics for the UK at a cost of £250M; one will be built at UCL Hospitals Foundation Trust in London and the other at the Christie Hospital Foundation Trust in Manchester. These are the first centres of their kind in the UK, enabling highly advanced therapy for deep lying, complex tumours.

Proton therapy can deliver a more targeted radiation dose to the tumour, resulting in 2-3 times less total dose to the patient than other forms of radiotherapy. It is the dose to surrounding healthy tissue that can result in secondary effects, consequently the accuracy of proton therapy means that it has the potential of being used close to critical organs and is particularly relevant to children, where the risks of secondary malignancies later on in life can be significantly reduced.

Whilst there are considerable benefits of proton therapy it is still in its infancy in terms of development and there is urgent need for new research to tackle its current limitations, to explore new techniques and develop new technologies, and for a broad range of clinical trials to optimise treatment outcomes and to target challenging tumour sites with poor survival rates. The new proton therapy centre located in the heart of the UCL/UCLH cancer campus affords an excellent opportunity. This talk will outline research challenges for the UCL cancer community.

A light lunch will be provided after the seminar

Location

UCL Cancer Institute
Courtyard Café
Paul O'Gorman Building 
72 Huntley Street
London, WC1E 6DD

Further information 

• Professor Heather Payne profile
• Professor Gary Role profile