Physics Behind Proton Therapy                                             Proton Therapy is not a new science, and not a new treatment option.             So why haven't you heard about it? There are only a few facilities in the United States that can offer proton beam therapy. The facility requires a massive particle accelerator that can cost up to $100 million to build. Because of this it is extremely expensive to build facilities that can treat patients with proton beam therapy. However, even though the facilities are few in number, they do their part to the fullest when it comes to aiding patients with alternative therapy for treating their illnesses.                             So how does it work?? First protons are generated from water that has been de-ionized. Then this de-ionized water is comprised of 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom An electric current then passes through the water where it goes through electrolysis and is broken into HYDROGEN and OXYGEN parts The hydrogen is injected into the CYCLOTRON, where high heat turns it into a plasma state where electrons can be stripped away from single hydrogen atoms by an electric field, creating a stream of just PROTONS, this is the beam used in proton therapy. "The cyclotron which can weigh up 440,000 pounds, accelerates protons to increasing speeds by alternating ELECTROMAGNETIC FORCES."(3) Above is one of the few Proton Therapy Centers in the United States, this one is located at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. (img2)