Alpha DaRT: Revolutionary Alpha-Emitters Brachytherapy

Diffusing Alpha-emitters Radiation Therapy (‘Alpha DaRT’) is a new cancer-treatment modality, which enables – for the first time - the treatment of solid tumors by alpha particles. The basic idea is to insert into the tumor an array of implantable sources (as in Brachytherapy), whose surface is embedded with a low activity of radium‑224. Each source continuously emits into the tumor a chain of short-lived alpha emitting atoms (progeny of radium) which spread by diffusion and convection over several mm around it, creating a continuous ‘kill region’ of high alpha-particle dose. After many years of basic work on the technology and associated physics, as well as an extensive campaign of preclinical studies in mice, Alpha DaRT has recently entered clinical trials, in the framework of a new company, Alpha TAU Medical Ltd. First results, on non-resectable radiation-resistant tumors, are remarkable, with dramatic response and no observable side effects. This talk outlines Alpha DaRT’s basic principle, dosimetry and safety, presents the status of current clinical trials and discusses its planned application in future ones.