Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Institut Curie and Thales team to create world-leading French industrial ecosystem in very high-energy electron FLASH radiotherapy

11/07/2022

Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Radiotherapy: the FLASH revolution

Discovered in 2014 at the Institut Curie laboratories by the team led by Dr Vincent Favaudon, the FLASH effect promises to be a real paradigm shift in radiotherapy. Ever since the medical benefits of radiotherapy were demonstrated, therapeutic programmes have had to be conducted in several sessions to limit the side effects of the radiation. Using very intense rays delivered in less than a second, the ultra-high dose rate FLASH technique destroys tumour cells without harming healthy tissue. If the next stages of research validate future clinical applications, FLASH radiotherapy could prove to be a revolution in cancer treatment.

With innovative approaches that reduce the sensitivity of healthy tissue to radiation, the dose delivered to highly resistant tumours could be increased, significantly fewer treatment sessions would be needed, and there would be additional scope for treating cancers that are currently impossible to treat with radiotherapy, said Prof. Gilles Cr hange, Head of the Radiotherapy Oncology Department at Institut Curie.

FLASH radiotherapy using low-energy electron accelerators has already been shown to be effective for patients undergoing treatment for skin cancers. Work is also in progress on potential applications in intraoperative radiotherapy.

By combining the FLASH effect with a very high-energy electron source, external radiotherapy treatments penetrating deep into human tissue could target deep tumours and avoid major surgical procedures.

A sovereign, world-leading French and European VHEE FLASH ecosystem

Identified as a national priority in the French governments strategy contract for healthcare industries and technologies, the objective is to create a sovereign, world-leading French and European VHEE FLASH ecosystem to treat more cancers and avoid the negative after-effects of radiotherapy.

As the birthplace of radiotherapy more than 100 years ago, Institut Curie has always been at the forefront of innovation in this field and now operates one of Europes most advanced technical facilities at its Orsay site on the Paris-Saclay University campus.

The new industrial ecosystem will serve as an anchor for other partners and help to safeguard France's sovereignty in the field of cancer treatment, which is considered a major public health challenge for the next 30 years.

This large-scale project will run for several years and will be conducted in two phases:

Definition and standardisation of the VHEE FLASH technique by 2026

Installation of VHEE FLASH equipment in hospitals by 2028

This partnership with Institut Curie will accelerate research and development into this revolutionary technology. A joint doctoral thesis on the study of radiotherapy using very high-energy electrons (VHEEs) is already underway as the basis for the development of future medical equipment. With its unique experience in complex particle accelerators, Thales has all the industrial resources and know-how needed for this innovative project, said Charles-Antoine Goffin, Vice President, Microwave and Imaging Subsystems, Thales.

The world's first facility for human clinical trials

Under the partnership, Institut Curie will work with Thales and other stakeholders to create a new facility to define this new treatment technique, identify priority indications and roll out a comprehensive medical research programme. The facility will be located at Institut Curie's site in Orsay, in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, which is the only site in France with a suitable clinical setting for this type of equipment. The VHEE FLASH platform will allow the benefits of the technique to be demonstrated in humans, which is a crucial step towards the introduction of the new medical technique in hospitals. The project is the first of its kind in the world and will strengthen Europe's leadership in this French-developed technology. The ambitious and pioneering collaboration between Institut Curie and Thales is a first step in ensuring that the latest technological and medical innovations are fully exploited in the fight against cancer.

The expected increase in the number of cancer cases in the decades ahead means we must look for solutions that are more effective and less costly for the healthcare system than those in use or under development today. VHEE FLASH radiotherapy has the potential to meet this demanding requirement. said Prof. Steven Le Gouill, Director of the Hospital Group at Institut Curie.

The research by Institut Curie and the speed of its uptake by the scientific community demonstrates the significance of this innovative approach. The challenge will be to raise the necessary funding for industrial scale-up to prevent this French innovation from being developed elsewhere. said Prof. Alain Puisieux, Director of the Research Centre at Institut Curie.

Institut Curie and Thales are working with the public authorities to align the funding of this platform with the ambitious goals of the France 2030 investment plan for disruptive medical technologies.

About Institut Curie

Institut Curie, France's leading cancer centre, combines an internationally renowned research centre with a cutting-edge hospital group, which treats all types of cancer, including the rarest. Founded in 1909 by Marie Curie, Institut Curie employs 3,700 researchers, physicians and health professionals across three sites (Paris, Saint-Cloud and Orsay), all of whom contribute to its three missions of treatment, research and teaching. As a private foundation recognised as a public utility, Institut Curie is authorised to accept donations and bequests, and thanks to the support of its donors, is able to accelerate discoveries and improve patient treatment and quality of life.

For more information: www.curie.fr

Since 2011, Institut Curi
LINK: https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/worldwide/group/press_release/institut-...
See more stories from thales

More from Thales

30/06/2025

Thales 2025 Global Cloud Security Study Reveals Organizations Struggle to Secure Expanding, AI-Driven Cloud Environments

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn 52% report AI security spending is displacing tr...

30/06/2025

Thales Alenia Space to develop SOLiS very-high-throughput laser communications demonstrator

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Cannes, June 30th, 2025 - Thales Alenia Space, t...

27/06/2025

Thales and KONGSBERG to establish new major Defence communications joint venture in Norway

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thales, a global high-tech leader, and Kongsberg...

26/06/2025

The European Space Agency awards Thales Alenia Space the study of the SIRIUS mission to monitor Urban Heat Islands from space

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Madrid, June 26, 2025 - The European Space Agenc...

24/06/2025

Thales Launches File Activity Monitoring (FAM) to Strengthen Real-Time Visibility and Control Over Unstructured Data

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn New capability gives instant visibility to detec...

24/06/2025

Imperva Application Security Integrates API Detection and Response, Setting A New Standard in API Security

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn First unified, single-pane-of-glass platform to ...

24/06/2025

Thales celebrates American Airlines 1st 787-9 aircraft flying with AVANT Up Inflight Entertainment System

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn The American Airlines 787-9 takes flight with Th...

20/06/2025

Thales supports airspace sovereignty in Albania with Ground Master 400 Alpha surveillance radar

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn At the Paris Air Show, in the presence of the Fr...

19/06/2025

Thales and Terma sign a Memorandum of Understanding to expand cooperation in the Air, Naval and Space domains

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thales, a global technology leader for the Defen...

12/06/2025

Thales ranked No.1 most attractive employer among engineering students in France in 2025

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thales has secured the top spot in the 2025 rank...

12/06/2025

Thales invests 55 million euros to anchor next-generation resilient navigation in France

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thales strengthens its European leadership in re...

11/06/2025

Software Rpublique unveils "vision 4rescue", an integrated technological ecosystem for the next-gen of Emergency Services

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn In response to the increasing frequency and inte...

05/06/2025

Vietnam Space Committee, OSB Group and Thales Partner to Promote Education and Innovation in Space Technologies

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Vietnam has been building a national framework t...

04/06/2025

Thales Unveils State-of-the-Art Inflight Entertainment & Services Lab at its Engineering Competence Centre in Bengaluru

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn The new lab, dedicated to development of Infligh...

03/06/2025

Thales reinvents secure payment systems for a data-driven future, showcasing leadership at Money20/20 Europe

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Payment systems must evolve beyond traditional c...

02/06/2025

cortAIx SG: Thales Accelerates Trusted AI Innovation in Singapore with Strategic Partnerships

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thales's global acceleration in trusted AI e...

02/06/2025

Cyshield uses Thales technology to launch Egypt's first connectivity service for eSIM devices

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Cyshield, a leading digital solutions company, s...

22/05/2025

Thales Reinforces Commitment to Malaysia at LIMA 2025 with New Leadership and Contracts Awarded

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn As a strategic partner in helping Malaysia achie...

21/05/2025

Tawazun Council and Thales Sign Agreement to Establish Ground Master Air Surveillance Radar Production Facility in UAE

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn As part of the Tawazun Economic Program, Thales ...

19/05/2025

Thales to provide a cyber-secured and AI-powered autonomous mine countermeasures system to the Republic of Singapore Navy

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn The unique, sea-proven Pathmaster solution will ...

19/05/2025

Thales, Radiall and FoxConn have initiated preliminary discussions on semiconductor production

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thales, Radiall and FoxConn announce they have i...

15/05/2025

Thales powers one million digital payment experiences with Vipps mobile wallet in Norway

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thales fully supports the success of Vipps, Norw...

15/05/2025

Thales boosts Air Traffic Management System for Serbia and Montenegro Air Traffic Services SMATSA

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Serbia and Montenegro Air Traffic Services SMATS...

15/05/2025

Thales inaugurates GenF, a first step towards nuclear fusion energy

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thales, a global leader in high-power lasers, will inaugurate GenF on Thursday 15 May 2025 in Le Barp (Bordeaux). GenF aims to t...

13/05/2025

Thales celebrates 50 years in Greece

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn On the occasion of DEFEA, Greece's premier defence exhibition, Thales, a global leader in advanced technologies for the Defe...

13/05/2025

Thales launches TRAC SIGMA - an innovative multi-mission Primary Surveillance Radar for Approach and Long-Range Air Surveillance

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thales unveils its new multi-mission Primary Sur...

30/04/2025

Thales modernises the world-class TACTIS armoured vehicle training centre for the Royal Netherlands Army

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thales has secured a major contract to modernise...

29/04/2025

One out of three secure civil IDs delivered each year is powered by Thales

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn In a world where identity fraud represents a critical vulnerability for citizens and societies, Thales is leading the transforma...

25/04/2025

Thales and Deloitte form Strategic Alliance to Help Enhance Data Protection and Governance Services

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Enhancing Data Protection and Governance Service...

24/04/2025

Thales reports its order intake and sales for the first quarter of 2025

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Order intake: 3.8 billion, down -25% (-27% on an organic basis1) Sales: 5.0 billion, up 12.2% ( 9.9% on an organic basis) A...

23/04/2025

Thales and Michelin drive software revenue growth with innovative simulation software

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Enables Michelin to focus on development of its ...

17/04/2025

MGCS Project Company GmbH (MPC) established in Cologne

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thursday, 17 April 2025 - The next step has now been taken in the Franco-German armaments project Main Ground Combat System (MGC...

14/04/2025

Thales to supply NATO with latest-generation situational awareness solution to ensure decision superiority

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thales has been selected by NATO to deliver phas...

08/04/2025

U.S. Air Force awards NSPA F-16 Helmet Mounted Display contract for Thales Scorpion HMD

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thales Thales subsidiary, Thales Defense &...

08/04/2025

Thales revolutionizes Inflight Entertainment (IFE) with 360Stream Live TV and innovative Near-Live highlights

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thales revolutionizes inflight TV with 360Stream...

07/04/2025

Thales signs a contract to deliver the Ground Master 200 MM/C Multi Mission Compact radar to Sweden

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (F r...

07/04/2025

Thales announces next-generation Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) for resilient navigation

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thales is a global leader in inertial navigation...

03/04/2025

Thales to recruit 8,000 people in 2025 and accelerate its 'Learning company' programme

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thales, a global leader in advanced technologies...

02/04/2025

Thales Alenia Space wins 51 million contract to extend EGNOS service life

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Strengthening Europe's critical navigation infrastructure thanks to EGNOS satellite-based augmentation system Cannes, April ...

01/04/2025

DSTA and Thales Announce AI-Driven Co-Lab to Strengthen Singapore's Defence Systems

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and...

31/03/2025

Thales unveils its PANORAMIC quad-tube night vision goggle

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Presented for the first time at SOFINS1, PANORAMIC is a lightweight, compact night vision goggle equipped with four light intens...