Proton therapy for pancreatic cancer

Figure 1 Charged particles like protons travel a finite distance into tissue, as determined by their energy, and then release that energy in a tightly defined region called “Bragg peak” (A). By delivering a range of energies toward the tumor target, a summation of these Bragg peaks allow for the creation of a “spread-out Bragg peak”, which conforms to the depth and position of the tumor target (B). Image borrowed from the University of Florida Health Proton Therapy Institute.