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Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
idw - Informationsdienst
Wissenschaft
With funding of four million euros as part of the ‘EU MSCA Doctoral Networks’, and additional funding of 600 000 euros through the Swiss State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation SERI, the European research project ‘UPLIFT’ was recently launched, aiming to expand the perspectives of tumor therapy with an innovative approach. The project is led by GSI scientists Professor Christian Graeff and Dr. Lennart Volz. It brings together 15 leading scientific institutions and industrial partners from across Europe and is dedicated to developing the radiation therapy in an upright position—a paradigm shift that could significantly improve global access to advanced cancer treatments.
Radiation therapy (RT) is a cornerstone of modern cancer treatment. Conventionally, patients are treated in a lying position while the beam is guided around the body with a gantry, allowing it to be directed at the tumor from any angle. In contrast, UPLIFT concentrates on an alternative method, where treatment is carried out in an upright position, allowing patients to be positioned in front of a fixed beam. This approach could offer clinical advantages while also saving space and reduce costs — two key factors in making advanced treatment methods more accessible worldwide.
Due to this reduced space requirement and lower treatment costs, upright radiotherapy aligns with the UN's sustainable development goals: currently, 80 percent of cancer patients live in countries that only have access to five percent of global radiation therapy capacity. Upright patient positioning can help bridge this gap by making life-saving or life-extending treatments more accessible globally. Additionally, upright treatment improves patient comfort and is associated with anatomical and physiological benefits, such as reduced respiratory motion.
Upright patient positioning and corresponding imaging solutions are generating significant interest. However, important scientific questions remain unanswered, and there are no international guidelines for upright radiotherapy yet. Additionally, current radiation therapy workflows are designed for treating recumbent patients. With currently 17 individual projects, and two additional UK projects planned, UPLIFT will investigate key questions in the areas of treatment planning, clinical workflows, and equipment design. A particular focus of research will be on meeting the high precision demands of modern radiation therapy in the upright position. Questions such as ‘Which patients are suitable for upright radiotherapy ?’ and ‘How can new equipment, such as treatment chairs or state-of-the-art imaging systems, be optimally used?’ will be addressed by the project.
UPLIFT aims not only to achieve technical and scientific breakthroughs but also to develop the next generation of experts trained with this unconventional patient positioning. As the first clinics introduce new technologies for upright radiotherapy, there is already a global need for trained professionals in industry, clinics, and universities to reach the intended benefits for patient care. Through UPLIFT, which connects academic and clinical centers with leading industrial partners, a Europe-wide network of such specialists will be created. The project utilizes the latest technologies for upright radiotherapy provided by the involved high-class industrial representatives from across Europe.
“UPLIFT will revolutionize modern radiation therapy, making it more patient-centered, accessible, and sustainable”, say the two project leaders, Professor Graeff and Dr. Volz. “The research project could not only reduce treatment costs but also improve comfort and outcomes for patients, positioning Europe at the forefront of the upright radiotherapy paradigm shift.” The head of GSI’s Biophysics Department, where the project is coordinated, Professor Marco Durante, emphasizes: “I am delighted that Professor Graeff and Dr. Volz are leading such a large-scale funding project. It is a groundbreaking sign of our biomedical research expertise and an important stimulus for particle therapy. UPLIFT has the potential to significantly expand future treatment methods in the fight against cancer.”
Participants:
A total of 15 scientific institutions as well as industrial partners are involved in the project, including three Helmholtz Centers in Germany (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, German Cancer Research Center DKFZ, Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf), ASG Superconductors and Centro Nazionale di Adroterapia Oncologia in Italy, Centre Léon Bérard and TheraPanacea in France, Jagiellonian University in Poland, Czech Technical University in the Czech Republic, Cosylab in Slovenia, RaySearch Laboratories in Sweden, Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland, Sheffield Hallam University, Leo Cancer Care and Loughborough University in England.
Treatment facility at GSI: The tumor therapy with ion beams was developed here; patients were placed ...
Photo: G. Otto/GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung
A glance into the future: This is what a treatment area could look like in the future, with a flexib ...
Illustration: Leo Cancer Care Ltd
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