A simulation-based assessment of proton beam therapy for oesophageal cancer

Proton beam therapy is a relatively new and alternative modality for cancer treatment. Its major advantage is the highly localised energy deposition of protons at a specific depth, enabling controlled damage to malignant tissues while sparing surrounding healthy cells. However, the successful application of this technique to a specific cancer site needs accurate modelling of several qualitative and quantitative parameters. These parameters are related to both the beam and the target anatomy. In this work, we investigate the suitability of proton beam therapy for the treatment of oesophageal cancer. We use a simulation-based workflow implemented with SRIM. The SRIM code and its TRIM module, enables detailed evaluation of proton energy loss profiles, penetration ranges, stopping powers, and Bragg peak localisation in multilayer tissue equivalent targets, which provides critical insight into energy deposition characteristics relevant for therapeutic optimisation.