Radiobiological intercomparison of the 160 MeV and 230 MeV proton therapy beams at the Harvard Cyclotron Laboratory and at Massachusetts General Hospital.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) along the axis of two range-modulated proton beams (160 and 230 MeV). Both the depth and the dose dependence of RBE were investigated. Chinese hamster V79-WNRE cells, suspended in medium containing gelatin and cooled to 2 °C, were used to obtain complete survival curves at multiple positions throughout the entrance and 10 cm spread-out Bragg peak (SOBP).

Proton: the particle.

The purpose of this article is to review briefly the nature of protons: creation at the Big Bang, abundance, physical characteristics, internal components, and life span. Several particle discoveries by proton as the experimental tool are considered. Protons play important roles in science, medicine, and industry.

A personal philosophy of a radiation oncologist.

All humans are of one species and are near identical genetically, viz. >99.5%.