Yasmina Kattou, edited by Yanis Darras 11:11 a.m., November 30, 2022
Will it be possible to treat cancerous tumors in the blink of an eye?
This is the wild promise of flash radiotherapy, the first prototype of which has just been launched.
In just one second, this process is able to reach all tumors, without damaging healthy cells, say the researchers.
It is a revolution for the 4 million cancer patients in France.
The first prototype of flash radiotherapy is launched, the result of a partnership between the University Hospital of Lausanne, associated with the French company Théryq.
A revolutionary process, which lasts only the time of an eyelash beat, against twenty minutes for several weeks for conventional radiation.
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The Swiss project would make it possible, in just one or a few five-second sessions, to reach cancer cells.
"This very short time makes the difference", explains the professor of radio oncology at the Lausanne University Hospital, in Switzerland, Jean Bourhis.
"It's as if the healthy tissue saw part of the beam pass, while the tumors saw the entire beam pass. It also allows tumors that are the most resistant to be able to give more doses while remaining within areas of perfectly acceptable tolerance", he notes.
The first clinical trials for 2025
Hope therefore to fight against multi-resistant tumors to radiotherapy, while nearly a third of cancers are resistant to conventional radiotherapy.
The rays could also penetrate 20 centimeters into the body, enough to reach any tumor.
The first clinical trials of what appears to be a revolution in cancer treatment should begin in 2025.