Flash therapy is an experimental treatment modality delivering radiotherapy at ultra-high dose rates to treatment volumes in typically <1 second.

Flash therapy could be one of the most significant advancements in cancer treatment in decades.

Flash therapy is an experimental treatment modality delivering radiotherapy at ultra-high dose rates to treatment volumes in typically <1 second. Compared to conventional therapy, preclinical studies in mice have shown equivalent or better tumour control, reduced normal tissue toxicity, and immunological advantages.

Varian’s FlashForward™ Consortium is formed from institutions around the world to establish preclinical study designs, develop technical solutions, and share research protocols to help advance the science and clinical translation of Flash therapy.

Flash Forward Ultra High Dose Rate Chart

Consortium members

  • CHUV Lausanne University Hospital
  • Cincinnati Children's/UC Health Proton Therapy Center
  • Danish Centre for Particle Therapy
  • Guangzhou Concord Cancer Center
  • Haukeland University Hospital
  • Hefei Ion Medical Center
  • Holland Proton Therapy Centre
  • Institut Curie
  • King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital
  • Midwest Cancer Center
  • Mount Sinai Hospital
  • Montefiore Medical Center
  • The Ohio State University
  • New York Proton Center
  • Oslo University Proton Therapy Center
  • Paul Scherrer Institute
  • Penn Medicine
  • Shandong Proton Therapy Center
  • Singapore Proton Therapy Center
  • South Florida Proton Therapy Institute
  • St. Petersburg Proton Therapy Center
  • The Christie Proton Therapy Centre
  • University College London
  • University Hospital Zurich
  • University of Alabama at Birmingham
  • University of Maryland Department of Radiation Oncology
  • University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • VU University Medical Center Amsterdam
  • University of Nebraska Medical Center

World’s First Flash Clinical Trial

Feasibility Study of Flash Proton Radiotherapy for the Treatment of Symptomatic Bone Metastases (FAST-01)

FAST-01 is the first-in-human clinical trial evaluating the feasibility and safety of Flash radiotherapy in patients with painful bone metastases of the extremities. A standard palliative dose fractionation regimen of 8 Gy in a single fraction is delivered with a 250MeV transmission proton beam at Flash dose rates. The FAST-01 study has completed enrolment at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (PI: Dr. J. Breneman). The design of the follow-up trial FAST-02 is underway.

Study details:

  • Patients with Bone metastases of the extremities
  • Enrollment for the study is open now
  • Study uses a modified ProBeam for the IDE
  • In partnership with Cincinnati Children’s/University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Proton Therapy Center

For additional information, please see the Feasibility Study of Flash Radiotherapy for the Treatment of Symptomatic Bone Metastases.

Trials using Flash radiotherapy for lung cancer and other malignancies are currently being developed. Using Flash treatment for these cancers could deliver higher cancer-killing doses without causing inordinate side effects, which would be a real advance.

Dr. John Breneman Medical Director at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center UC Health Proton Therapy Center

Flash therapy has the potential to be practice-changing and drastically improve the experience of cancer care for a new generation of patients. The launch of the first Flash clinical trial, a project that has come to fruition after years of intensive study, is an important milestone in the progress of radiation therapy.

Dr. Charles B. Simone, II FACRO, Chief Medical Officer at New York Proton Center

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Flash therapy is under development and not available for commercial sale. The Flash-enabled ProBeam® system is an investigational device and is limited by United States law to investigational use.