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scientific laboratory Public Information Office ATTENTION Laura Wade TO. Ida McClendon (UC Clip Sheet), University Relationr, 131 University Hal& Univerrity of California, Berkeley, California, 94720 SPECIAL FOR THE UC CLIP SHEET LOS ALAMOS, N.'M,, November 20, 1974 -- A rmall, elderly woman cancer patient and a University of California reeearch laboratory made hirtory on the night of October 21, and, aware of the fact, the woman commented rhyly, "I feel like the fir atman who walked on the She war the firrt perron expored to negative pi meson (pion) radiation at the Biomedical Facility of the L o r Alamos Scientific Laboratory'o Clinton P. Anderron Lor Alamor Meson Phyricr Facility (LAMPF). w a r one of 2 volunteers relected by the Univerrity of New Mexico'r Cancer Rerearch and Tkeatment Center for the initial pion testa.. These preliminary tests, designed to compare the medical effect8 of pions with those of x rayr, were the culmination of 2 years of theoretical work a d reveral monthr of pion radiation experiments on tirrue rampler and anknsrlr conducted by a Cancer Center medical team and LASL rcientirtr deep-seated tumorr would not be cured during the experimentr. Each volunteer received a rerieo of 8 pion exposures on 8 ruccerrive They were tcrt dore.; and both volunteers were aware that their
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UC Clip Sheet Dr. Morton Kligerman, LASL assistant director for radiation therapy and director of the UNM Cancer Center, says if all goes as expected, "we should be ready for more advanced work later on in 1975, possibly using pion radiotherapy to attempt remissions of primary tumors. I' LAMPF's bear proton accelerator is the only facility in the world prerently producing pions in sufficient quantity f o r medical terting. The rtudier underway at U M P F are conducted by the UNM Cancer Research and Treatment Ceater under a grant from the National Cancer hrtitute, Division of Research Resources and Centers. Laboratory i r operated by the Univerrity of California for the U. S. Atomic The Los Alamor Scientific Biomedical researchers hope that pions, which are formed when accelerated proton8 rtrike ruitable targets, w i l l have rignificant advantages over coaventioaaal x-ray or cobalt radiotherapy. Pions a r e thought to be the "glue" that bindr together the atomic nucleus. Their character is ouch that they parr through matter with little interaction until they are captured by a nucleus, whereupon they explode, releasing radiation in one burrt inride the material into which they are directed. through intervening healthy tirrue with minimal effect and to deposit shortrange radiation within a tumor. dores of radiation can be delivered to a tumor with leas total energy absorbed by the body, thereby increasing the patient's tolerance to the treatment by reducing aftereffects and dircomfort. This proptrty allows pions to paor It i r believed that with pions, equivalent Deep-seated tumor8 knporrible to treat at preaent may be reached axid treated by pions with alight damage to intervening tissue. LAMPF's
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uc clip sheet firrt pion testa were derignsd to duplicate with a pion beam as closely am poraible the known effect8 of an x-ray beam upon tumors. A third volunteer received pion treatments in November. pion teste will be continued until LAMPF'r beam is shut down for scheduled maintenance in December. LAMPF goes back into operation. initial series of tests will be made. Experiments will be reeumed in July, 1975, when Meanwhile, analysis of reeultr from the