RESPONSES OF NORMAL AND MALIGNANT MAMMALIAN TISSUE TO BOMBARDMENT WITH HIGH ENERGY PROTONS.

The high-energy proton beam of the Brookhaven proton synchrotron (Cosmotron) is under study with regard to the fundamental, elemertal tissue and organ responses of mammals to this form of energy transfer. Lethality for small animals, and in vivo activation of light elements were preliminarily characterized and their usefulness estimated. Physical studies including dosimetry and distribution of particles within the proton beam are intended to improve understanding of distribution of proton dose. Such understanding is critical to interpretation of any experimental result. The determination of the boundaries of application of accelerator-produced particles of these energies to neoplastic lesions is part of our continuing study. (auth)