Particle therapy

Particle therapy is one of the Trond Mohn Foundation’s thematic initiatives. The motivation for the thematic initiativ is that Trond Mohn donated NOK 250 million to the Foundation dedicated to supporting the establishment of particle therapy as a form of cancer treatment at Haukeland University Hospital.

Particle therapy is a type of radiotherapy that has a stronger effect on the tumour tissue than today’s X-ray therapy. The reason for this is that this type of radiation has proven to have less harmful side effects. Particle therapy is particularly suitable for children and young people, as the treatment is more precise and gentle.

Helse Bergen health trust, the University of Bergen (UiB) and the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences all actively contribute to competence-raising, methodology development and research on the topic.

Competence-raising and the purchase of equipment in Helse Bergen health trust.

Physicists and research fellows at the Department of Oncology and Medical Physics and doctors affiliated with the Norwegian Cancer Society have required more expertise in the field of proton therapy, and, in addition to courses, work on studies and staff resources for dose planning, several have completed lengthy stays at proton facilities abroad.

The Department also needed to acquire a dose planning tool, which is an important tool for learning about and understanding particle therapy. The Foundation contributed to the procurement of this equipment, as well as to operating agreements, extra equipment and the competence-raising component. The project manager is head of department, Professor Olav Mella.

Research project in Helse Bergen

Professor Olav Dahl, who is a Senior Consultant at the Department of Oncology and Medical Physics, is head of the project ‘Molecular Mechanisms of Photon and Particle Radiation Responses in Malignant Tumors and Clinical Dosing of Carbon Ions’. The project focuses on radiation and particle therapy in conjunction with competence-raising and preparation for the use of particle therapy at Haukeland University Hospital (HUS). The project cooperates with the two leading carbon centres in Tokyo, which have more than 20 years’ experience in the field. Researchers and clinicians from HUS will be able to gain practical experience at the centres in Japan, as well as benefitting from their accumulated experience.