Date/Time
Date(s) - 09/04/2025
10:30 am - 11:30 am

Location
Physics and Astronomy Department

ABB 102

Dr. Jan Seuntjens

Head, Department of Medical Physics, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Professor, Departments of Radiation Oncology and Medical Biophysics
Senior Scientist, Princess Margaret Research Institute
Orey and Mary Fidani Family Chair in Radiation Physics, University of Toronto
Chair, Science Council of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine

University of Toronto & University Health Network
Dr. Seuntjens’ profile link:

Title: Democratization of proton therapy for cancer treatment

Abstract:

Proton therapy (PT) is a more focused and superior tissue-sparing form of radiation therapy. Proton delivery systems, however, are large and costly to install and maintain making it challenging for publicly funded health care systems, including those in Canada, to justify installation. Patients, often pediatric, are sent to the US for treatment at premium cost. Selection of patients suitable for PT is based on risk models, rather than evidence gathered through clinical trials. The latter require large patient populations, but the number of PT installations to achieve this is limited, given PT systems cost, therefore clinical evidence is slow to build. This presentation will summarize proton and particle therapy state of the art technologies and explores current efforts towards creating low-cost proton therapy systems. Educational goals: (1) review physics of proton therapy; (2) review state-of-the-art clinical proton therapy systems; (3) review ongoing efforts, both in the field and in our lab, to reduce cost of accelerator and beam delivery systems.