Clinical experience with proton beam radiation therapy.

Our experience with modulated energy proton beams in the definitive treatment of cancer patients indicates that, for the patients accepted, treatment volumes have been smaller and total doses higher than would have obtained for photon techniques alone used in our institution. The reactions of normal tissue have, with very few exceptions, been readily acceptable. The higher radiation doses employed should yield higher tumor control frequencies. Clearly, we cannot assess the efficacy of this modality because of the small number of patients followed for short periods. However, the results are judged by use to warrant intensive evaluation of this modality.