Studies on advantages of heavy ions in radiotherapy compared with γ-rays

Hepatoma and melanoma cells were exposed to 12C6+ beams generated by HIRFL facility and γ-rays and the cell response was studied by colony assays as well as the analysis of RBE of carbon ions was evolved. The survival curves of cells irradiated by heavy ions were different from those of cells irradiated by γ-rays. And two kinds of cell showed the obvious discrepancy in response to the photon and ion irradiation. The results showed that heavy ions have special physical properties and mighty potency to kill cell in both single and fractional irradiation meanwhile it can kill tumor cells with high radioresistance more efficiently. When involved in clinical therapy, heavy ions will enhance the therapy efficiency and decrease the suffering of patients because it can impair the repair for sublethal damage of cells which can lead to fewer irradiation fractions.