Systemic modulation of stress and immune parameters in patients treated for prostate adenocarcinoma by intensity-modulated radiation therapy or stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: In this exploratory study, the impact of local irradiation on systemic changes in stress and immune parameters was investigated in eight patients treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) for prostate adenocarcinoma to gain deeper insights into how radiotherapy (RT) modulates the immune system. PATIENTS AND METHODS: RT-qPCR, flow cytometry, metabolomics, and antibody arrays were used to monitor a panel of stress- and immune-related parameters before RT, after the first fraction (SABR) or the first week of treatment (IMRT), after the last fraction, and 3 weeks later in the blood of IMRT (N = 4) or SABR (N = 4) patients. Effect size analysis was used for comparison of results at different timepoints. RESULTS: Several parameters were found to be differentially modulated in IMRT and SABR patients: the expression of TGFB1, IL1B, and CCL3 genes; the expression of HLA-DR on circulating monocytes; the abundance and ratio of phosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylcholine metabolites in plasma. More immune modulators in plasma were modulated during IMRT than SABR, with only two common proteins, namely GDF-15 and Tim­3. CONCLUSION: Locally delivered RT induces systemic modulation of the immune system in prostate adenocarcinoma patients. IMRT and SABR appear to specifically affect distinct immune components.

Carborane beam from ITEP Bernas ion source for semiconductor implanters.

A joint research and development of steady state intense boron ion sources for hundreds of electron-volt ion implanters has been in progress for the past 5 years. The difficulties of extraction and transportation of low energy boron beams can be solved by implanting clusters of boron atoms. In Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics (ITEP) the Bernas ion source successfully generated the beam of decaborane ions. The carborane (C(2)B(10)H(12)) ion beam is more attractive material due to its better thermal stability. The results of carborane ion beam generation are presented. The result of the beam implantation into the silicon wafer is presented as well.

Status of ITEP decaborane ion source program.

The joint research and development program is continued to develop steady-state ion source of decaborane beam for ion implantation industry. Both Freeman and Bernas ion sources for decaborane ion beam generation were investigated. Decaborane negative ion beam as well as positive ion beam were generated and delivered to the output of mass separator. Experimental results obtained in ITEP are presented.

Ion sources for energy extremes of ion implantation.

For the past four years a joint research and development effort designed to develop steady state, intense ion sources has been in progress with the ultimate goal to develop ion sources and techniques that meet the two energy extreme range needs of meV and hundreads of eV ion implanters. This endeavor has already resulted in record steady state output currents of high charge state of antimony and phosphorus ions: P(2+) [8.6 pmA (particle milliampere)], P(3+) (1.9 pmA), and P(4+) (0.12 pmA) and 16.2, 7.6, 3.3, and 2.2 pmA of Sb(3+)Sb(4+), Sb(5+), and Sb(6+) respectively. For low energy ion implantation, our efforts involve molecular ions and a novel plasmaless/gasless deceleration method. To date, 1 emA (electrical milliampere) of positive decaborane ions was extracted at 10 keV and smaller currents of negative decaborane ions were also extracted. Additionally, boron current fraction of over 70% was extracted from a Bernas-Calutron ion source, which represents a factor of 3.5 improvement over currently employed ion sources.