Proton and Heavy Ion Therapy: An overview: January 2017
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It is proposed that particle equipment and operating costs will decline as the technology continues
to mature and delivery efficiencies are improved (e.g. pencil-beam scanning, intensity-modulated
particle therapy, image guidance, hypofractionation, and compact units),
34
however particle
therapy facilities will still represent significant expenditure in terms of construction,
maintenance,
staffing, and running costs. A comparison of conventional radiotherapy and particle facilities is
presented below in Table 3.
Table 3
Comparison of conventional radiotherapy and particle facilities
Conventional Radiotherapy
Proton Beam
Carbon Ion Beam
Accelerator
LINAC
Cyclotron or Synchrotron
Synchrotron
Typical beam energy range
4-25 MeV
60–250 MeV
120–430 MeV
Treatment rooms
One room per LINAC
Single to five rooms
Typically three treatment
rooms and research room
Publicly reported costs
(likely equipment only)
$5 million
(per LINAC and gantry)
$34 million-$260 million
(single to multi-room facility)
$180 million-$290 million
(multi-room facility)
Operational costs
(utilities, maintenance,
cleaning, administration)
$4.51 million
(2 room facility)
$8.8 million
(3 room facility)
$17.9 million
(3 room facility)
Staffing costs
$4.25 million
(2 room facility)
$10.4 million
(3 room facility)
$10.4 million
(3 room facility)
Treatment Fraction Cost
Ratio
1
3.2
4.8
Equipment lifespan
10 years
30 years or more
30 years or more
Note: all prices are adjusted for inflation and presented in 2016 AU$
Publicly reported facility costs are presented in Appendix A and B
Operational, staffing costs and treatment fraction costs adapted from Peeters et al. (2010)
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Proton and Heavy Ion Therapy: An overview: January 2017
16
Particle Therapy Evidence Overview
Proton Beam Therapy
PBT is being employed increasingly for the treatment of a range of paediatric tumours; skull base,
hepatocellular, head/neck, and central nervous system tumours; and cancers of the breast, lung,
prostate, and pancreas.
37
There is debate as to what constitutes a reasonable level of accepted evidence for proton therapy.
Commentators note a lack of randomised control trial (RCT) evidence, which would provide clear
evidence of proton superiority and safety over conventional radiotherapy treatment in many
instances, and propose that further studies are needed.
21
However, proponents of proton therapy
have pointed out that implementation of some radiation procedures (e.g. intensity modulated
radiation therapy) has occurred without robust RCT data, and that issues of informed consent and
equipoise
a
arise.
34
These issues were recently considered in the United Kingdom (UK), with
recommendations for further studies on particle therapy, including well-defined and conducted
phase III studies. However RCTs were considered to be neither necessary nor appropriate where
improved dose distribution and clinically significant superiority has been clearly demonstrated.
38
In terms of evidence to date, this paper does not intend to provide a systematic review of the
literature but will summarise the most recent evidence available.
A recent systematic review conducted by the Washington State Health Care Authority identified
limited comparative evidence regarding the effectiveness of PBT for the treatment of specific
cancers.
39
The majority of studies identified were case series, which can inform on important
safety outcomes of treatment with PBT, but not on the clinical effectiveness of the treatment. It
was acknowledged that comparative studies are unlikely to be conducted for paediatric cancers
despite uncertainty over long-term outcomes, nor for rare cancers, however it is not unreasonable
to expect comparative studies for the treatment of prostate or breast cancer.
A total of six RCTs were identified for inclusion. Four of these RCTs were dose/fractionation
comparisons in prostate cancer published in 2011 (n= 82) and 2010 (n=391), uveal melanoma
(n=188) published in 2000, and skull-base chordoma and chondrosarcoma (n=96) published in
1998). The remaining two RCTs compared treatment modalities. In 2006, PBT was compared to
PBT plus tomotherapy in 151 patients with uveal melanoma, and in 1995 a total of 202 patients
with prostate cancer were enrolled in an RCT that compared PBT plus conventional radiotherapy
to conventional radiotherapy alone. Despite being RCTs, these studies give limited information as
to the effectiveness of PBT as five of the six RCTs involved different treatment protocols for PBT
and had no other comparison groups. Of the six RCTs, 5 were considered to be fair or poor quality.
In addition, a total of 37 non-randomised comparative studies across 19 different conditions were
identified, however the majority of these were retrospective with additional concerns over quality,
with only one study being considered good quality.
39
a
an ethical consideration of assigning a patient to a trial arm where it is anticipated that they will receive a reduced
outcome compared to other trial arms.