Review of Leakage from a Linear Accelerator and Its Side Effects on Cancer Patients

Radiation therapy using external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is playing an important role for effective treatment of all kinds of tumors. Peripheral dose is the result of leakage and scatter from multileaf collimators devices (MLCs), counts for 2-10% of the maximum dose given to the patient, depending on the machine used and type of treatment.

The present review reveals that despite of the recent advancements in linear accelerators (LINAC) and MLC design and technology, the remaining small amount of leakage (peripheral dose) of these devices still has significant side effects on patient’s life span and quality of life after treatment.

Based on the findings in this review, it is suggested that introduction of additional effective and patient-specific shielding techniques would have great impact on reducing risk of radiating healthy cells and hence adversely side effects on cancer patients.

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Review of Leakage from a Linear Accelerator and Its Side Effects on Cancer Patients

Cancer is becoming one of the main burdens of human being all over the world. The number of cancer patients is increasing because of the growth and aging of the population, as well as an increasing prevalence of established risk factors such as smoking, overweight, physical inactivity, and changing reproductive patterns associated with urbanization and economic development.

GLOBOCAN estimated about 14.1 million new cancer cases and 8.2 million deaths occurred in 2012 worldwide. From the most recent reported statistics, cancer is becoming a major public health problem in the United States and many other parts of the world.

It is currently the second leading cause of death in the United States, and is expected to surpass heart diseases as the leading cause of death in the next few years. Radiation therapy is playing an important role for effective treatment of all kinds of tumors.

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