Garchinger Maier-Leibnitz-Kolloquium: FLASH radiotherapy: multidisciplinary research to shape the future of radiation oncology

by Prof. Marie-Catherine Vozenin (Geneva HUG University Hospital and Geneva University, Switzerland)

Thursday 4 Dec 2025, 16:15 → 17:15 Europe/Berlin

Lecture Hall, ground floor (west) (LMU building, Am Coulombwall 1, campus Garching)

Ultra-high dose rate, FLASH radiotherapy has emerged as one of the most promising innovations over the last decade in the field of radiation oncology, with the potential to eradicate radiation resistant primary tumors and improve the therapeutic outcome for cancer patients. FLASH is based on delivering radiation doses at ultra-high dose rates (UHDR) more than 1000 times faster than irradiation at conventional dose rates. Pre-clinical data consistently show that the anti-tumor efficacy of cytotoxic doses is not dependent on dose rate, but in normal tissues, UHDR significantly reduces normal tissue toxicities compared to CONV, as observed in vivo. These observations define the FLASH effect. The FLASH effect has now been reported to occur when using single and fractionated dose regimens in several experimental animal models (mice, rat, zebrafish, pig, cats) and in multiple organs (lung, skin, gut, brain) by numerous groups worldwide. Interestingly, the  FLASH effect has also been demonstrated with electron, photon and hadron (proton and heavier ion) beams. The current status and future technological development will be reviewed, with an emphasis on critical beam parameters, future beam modalities, and prerequisites for safe clinical translation in terms of dosimetry, radioprotection and treatment planning systems. Mechanistic investigations at the physico-chemical and biological levels will also be presented as well as strategies to support and initiate clinical translation as well as results from early clinical trials. 

Hybrid access via ZOOM:
https://lmu-munich.zoom.us/j/98457332925?pwd=TWc3V1JkSHpyOTBPQVlMelhuNnZ1dz09
Meeting ID: 984 5733 2925
Passcode: 979953

kolloquium-04-12-25.pdf