Quantification of the Relative Biological Effectiveness for Ion Beam Radiotherapy: Direct Experimental Comparison of Proton and Carbon Ion Beams and a Novel Approach for Treatment Planning

Both the experimental data and the new modeling approach are supportive of the advantages of carbon ions as compared with protons for treatment-like field configurations. Because the model predicts the effectiveness for several ion species with similar accuracy, it represents a powerful tool for further optimization and utilization of the potential of ion beams in tumor therapy.