Hadron Therapy Physics and Simulations

This brief provides an in-depth overview of the physics of hadron therapy, ranging from the history to the latest contributions to the subject. It covers the mechanisms of protons and carbon ions at the molecular level (DNA breaks and proteins 53BP1 and RPA), the physics and mathematics of accelerators (Cyclotron and Synchrotron), microdosimetry measurements (with new results so far achieved), and Monte Carlo simulations in hadron therapy using FLUKA (CERN) and MCHIT (FIAS) software. The text also includes information about proton therapy centers and carbon ion centers (PTCOG), as well as a comparison and discussion of both techniques in treatment planning and radiation monitoring. This brief is suitable for newcomers to medical physics as well as seasoned specialists in radiation oncology.

Marcos d'Avila Nunes is an Associate Professor (MS-5) at the University of São Paulo (USP) and graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto/USP in 1967. He did his postgraduate studies in Advanced Theoretical Physics at the School of Engineering of São Carlos/USP from 1968-69. He received his PhD in 1972 and became Full Professor in the Biomedical Sciences Institute at USP in 1977. He did post doctorate research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1974-75), Boston University Medical Center (1974-75), National Institutes of Health (1976), American National Red Cross (1976), University of South Carolina (1981-82) and Wayne State University (1982). Prof. Nunes is known worldwide for his electrophysiological studies in biological membranes, the application of thermodynamics of irreversible processes in membranes and also by the development of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) to study the behavior of molecular components of the biological membranes, subjected to a drop / rise in temperature and their simulations. Prof. Nunes has published his work in Medical Informatics and participated in National and International Congresses as chairman of Molecular Biophysics. He is the author of a book in advanced physics 'Large Hadron Collider: New Era of Discoveries' and he is responsible for seven post graduation courses at USP.