Determination of optimum dose in helium ion radiotherapy for thyroid cancer using SRIM program simulation

Research has been conducted on helium ion radiotherapy for thyroid cancer using the SRIM (Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter) simulation program to determine the optimum dose, the core of SRIM is a program called Transport of Ions in Matter (TRIM). Helium ion radiation is one of the cancer therapy methods that utilizes positively charged particles to destroy cancer cells and has advantages over other ion radiations, such as proton or carbon, as it can deliver a high dose to the tumor with minimal damage to the surrounding healthy tissues. Helium ion radiation can also penetrate deeper into the body and overcome radiation resistance that may be present in some types of cancer. The method used in this study involves generating a relative dose profile of SOBP (Spread Out Bragg Peak), which is a requirement for radiotherapy, characterized by a high flat region over the cancer area and low in areas outside the cancer. Calculations and simulations were conducted to obtain the SOBP curve for a thyroid cancer tissue model. The simulations were performed using the SRIM program, while computational calculations were carried out using Python. The SRIM program was also used to calculate the number of beams required, as well as the energy and count for each helium ion beam. The optimum dose, which is the amount of radiation required to effectively destroy or damage cancer cells while minimizing damage to the surrounding healthy tissue as indicated by the obtained SOBP curve. The highest dose to the skin is typically achieved at a depth of around 5.2 mm, which is the skin's furthest limit. Unlike cancerous tissue, which receives the highest dose across nearly all its parts, no other tissue, including other normal tissues, reaches a 100% maximum acceptable dose, then the dose received by the healthy tissue beforehand is a maximum of 91%, while the healthy tissue after the cancer receives no radiation dose