Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Mar 16: A groundbreaking study has unveiled the microscopic process behind heavy-ion cancer therapy, paving the way for more effective treatment strategies and advancements in radiotherapy technology.

Conducted by researchers at the Institute of Modern Physics (IMP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, alongside international collaborators, the findings were recently published in the journal Physical Review X.

Heavy-ion therapy, an advanced radiotherapy technique, utilizes high-energy ion beams to target and destroy cancer cells with remarkable precision. Since its introduction in 1946, over 50,000 patients worldwide have undergone this treatment.

Researcher Xu Shenyue from IMP highlighted its superior effectiveness: “At the same radiation dose, heavy ions exhibit two to three times greater cancer-cell-killing efficiency compared to traditional X-ray therapy.” The therapy induces DNA double-strand breaks in tumor cells, leading to stronger biological effects. However, the exact microscopic mechanism behind this remained a mystery—until now.

Experiments conducted at the Heavy-Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou, China, provided a breakthrough. Scientists observed, for the first time, an intermolecular energy and proton transfer cascade triggered by heavy-ion irradiation in biomolecular clusters.

Researcher Ma Xinwen explained, “This discovery sheds light on how radiation damages molecules at a microscopic level. It could play a crucial role in optimizing future radiotherapy techniques.”

The study involved researchers from Russia’s Irkutsk State University, Germany’s Heidelberg University, the University of Science and Technology of China, Xi'an Jiaotong University, and Lanzhou University, showcasing global collaboration in the fight against cancer.

Meanwhile, another scientific breakthrough in cancer treatment is underway. Researchers are developing an IgE antibody therapy that could combat treatment-resistant breast and ovarian cancers. Unlike traditional IgG-based immunotherapy, which is commonly used to stimulate the immune system against cancer, IgE antibodies show potential in enhancing immune response and slowing tumor growth.

Immunotherapy is increasingly preferred over chemotherapy and radiation due to its ability to precisely target cancer cells while minimizing harm to healthy tissue. Scientists believe that IgE-based treatments could offer a promising alternative for patients resistant to current therapies.