A Study of the Survival of Tumor A549 Cells upon Proton Beam Irradiation in Flash and Standard Modes

Flash irradiation is an innovative method of therapy, which ensures that the therapeutic dose is brought to the pathological focus in times of the order of several tens of milliseconds. In this mode of irradiation, the degree of damage to normal tissues surrounding the tumor that fall under the influence of radiation decreases; at the same time, the effect on cancer cells remains at almost the same level, which improves the prospect of local control of the tumor with a lower frequency of side effects. The exact radiobiological mechanisms underlying the flash effect are not completely clear. This paper presents the results of work on the formation of a high-intensity proton beam with an energy of 660 MeV from the phasotron accelerator of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (Dubna), designed to conduct radiobiological studies of flash irradiation therapy on cell cultures and small laboratory animals (mice and rats). The survival rate of A549 cells under proton beam irradiation in flash and standard modes was compared. A difference was found in the change in the survival rate of A549 cells irradiated in flash and standard modes. The magnitude of the flash effect was represented by the dose change factor.