Establishment of efficient proton beam therapy utilizing hyperthermia targeting intermittent hypoxia

Research Project

Project/Area Number	17K16418
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Research Field	Radiation science
Research Institution	University of Tsukuba
Principal Investigator	Sekino Yuta 筑波大学, 附属病院, 医員 (50795713)
Project Period (FY)	2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
Budget Amount *help	¥4,030,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥930,000) Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000) Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000) Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000)
Keywords	オンコサーミア / 放射線増感効果 / 陽子線 / アポトーシス / 低出力温熱治療 / オートファジー / 温熱療法（ハイパーサーミア） / 細胞死 / 放射線治療 / 陽子線治療 / 間欠的低酸素 / 間欠的低酸素経験細胞 / 温熱療法 / 放射線 / X線
Outline of Final Research Achievements	We have clarified that among various cancer cells the heating treatment by using a new low-power thermotherapy device, oncothermia has a dominant and strong biological effect compared with the heating by warm water circulation such as a water bath.We also confirmed the effectiveness of oncothermia against cancer cells that have become radioresistant by being placed in an intermittent oxygen environment. In addition to X-rays, we also examined the cytocidal effect of the combination with oncothermia for advanced radiotherapy called protons beam therapy.As a result, it was clarified that cell death was induced more efficiently and a large thermal sensitization ratio was exhibited even when combined with proton beam, as in the case of using X-ray, as compared with water bath heating.
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	陽子線治療は物理的特徴から、がんへ高線量を照射し、副作用を低減することから、各種癌治療に応用されてきた。しかし、低酸素細胞などの治療抵抗性の病態に対してより有効な治療法の開発が必要とされている。本研究により、患者の負担が少ない、低温による温熱療法の併用により治療効果が増強される基礎生物学的な結果を得ることができた。さらなる知見の蓄積により、より効率的で患者の負担の少ない治療法につながると考えられる。