Treatment planning considerations for the development of FLASH proton therapy

Abstract

With increasing focus on the translation of the observed FLASH effect into clinical practice, this paper presents treatment planning considerations for its development using proton therapy. Potential requirements to induce a FLASH effect are discussed along with the properties of existing proton therapy delivery systems and the changes in planning and delivery approaches required to satisfy these prerequisites. For the exploration of treatment planning approaches for FLASH, developments in treatment planning systems are needed. Flexibility in adapting to new information will be important in such an evolving area. Variations in definitions, threshold values and assumptions can make it difficult to compare different published studies and to interpret previous studies in the context of new information. Together with the fact that much is left to be understood about the underlying mechanism behind the FLASH effect, a systematic and comprehensive approach to information storage is encouraged. Collecting and retaining more detailed information on planned and realised dose delivery as well as reporting the assumptions made in planning studies creates the potential for research to be revisited and re-evaluated in the light of future improvements in understanding. Forward thinking at the time of study development can help facilitate retrospective analysis. This, we hope, will increase the available evidence and accelerate the translation of the FLASH effect into clinical benefit.