Dresden 2026 – scientific programme

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AIW: Arbeitskreis Industrie und Wirtschaft

AIW 1: Medical Applications – Accelerators in the Service of Health

AIW 1.2: Invited Talk

Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 14:10–14:30, BAR/SCHÖ

From Particle Physics to Patient Care – The Evolution of Accelerator-Based Tumor Therapy in Germany — •Andrea Denker — Helmholtz-Zentrum für Materialien und Energie, Berlin

The origins of particle therapy in Germany lay in 1998: In July, the treatment of ocular tumours with protons started in a collaboration of Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and in August clinical studies using carbon ions began at GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung. In both cases accelerators, originally built for particle physics, were used.

Now, more than 25 years later, five centres provide particle therapy for cancer treatment and more than 30000 patients have been treated in Germany. This is an excellent example of an extremely successful technology transfer from fundamental research to health care.

In parallel to routine treatment, accompanying research is on-going. This comprises, among others, new forms of beam delivery with the hope to reduce side effects while maintaining tumour control. Examples are FLASH-irradiations, where the dose is applied in a very short time, and the spatial fractionation of the irradiation, the so-called minibeam. This new irradiation forms create new challenges for the (existing and future) accelerators.