The use of x-rays for cancer treatment has led to improvements in cancer management, thanks in part to the state-of-the-art x-ray technology. The therapy, however, has reached its limitations and is being replaced by a successor, particle beam-based cancer treatment, which is considered the next generation radiation therapy against cancer. With a distinctive physical property called a Bragg Peak, a particle beam has only a minimal effect on healthy tissues surrounding a tumor, which permits a highly effective and desirable therapeutic approach to cancer. 

Proton therapy, which involves using protons (one type of particle beam) for cancer treatment, is the first particle beam-based cancer treatment put to practical use after more than 50 years of research and development. Now, proton therapy is being employed in approximately 66 institutions worldwide, including 2 sites in Korea. There are a growing number of studies showing that proton therapy is potentially more effective than conventional x-ray treatment. If the particle beam therapy unit, including the proton therapy device, becomes lighter and less costly going forward, the technology is expected to replace existing x-ray treatment units at an accelerated pace.

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