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Estimating Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Direct Power Consumption of Linear Accelerator-Based External Beam Radiation Therapy.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Shenker, RF; Johnson, TL; Ribeiro, M; Rodrigues, A; Chino, J
Published in: Adv Radiat Oncol
2023

PURPOSE: Climate change is one of the direst health threats that humanity faces. We aim to estimate the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with the energy usage from linear accelerator (LINAC)-based external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for the most common cancer diagnoses. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We identified patients with the 4 most common cancer types treated with curative-intent EBRT. Beam-on time for each fraction was extracted from the treatment planning system and averaged over each site and treatment modality. The power was multiplied by the beam-on time in hours to yield kilowatt hours (kWh). Using the US Environmental Protection Agency Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies calculator, we converted the kWh into estimates of CO2-equivalent emissions for the average US power grid. Idle time of the LINAC was estimated via Varian Medical Systems. RESULTS: A total of 10 patients were included for each of the following modalities: conventionally fractionated for prostate cancer (28 fractions [fx]), prostate stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) (5 fx), 15- and 5-fx regimens for early-stage breast cancer, 3- and 5-fx SBRT regimens for early-stage lung cancer, conventional EBRT (30 fx) for locally advanced lung cancer, and short- (5 fx) and long-course (25-28 fx) for rectal cancer. The modality with the lowest and highest carbon emissions per course, on average, was prostate SBRT (2.18 kg CO2; interquartile range, 1.92-2.30) and conventional treatment for prostate cancer (17.34 kg CO2; interquartile range, 10.26-23.79), respectively. This corresponds to CO2-equivalent emissions of driving an average of 5.4 miles and 41.2 miles in a standard vehicle, respectively. "Standby" mode for a LINAC TrueBeam and Clinac IX uses 112 kWh and 64.8 kWh per day, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We have estimated CO2 emissions arising from direct energy usage of a LINAC for 4 common cancers treated with EBRT. "Standby" mode of a LINAC uses the most energy per day. Comprehensive studies are warranted to minimize the environmental effects of health and cancer care.

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Published In

Adv Radiat Oncol

DOI

ISSN

2452-1094

Publication Date

2023

Volume

8

Issue

3

Start / End Page

101170

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • 3211 Oncology and carcinogenesis
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Shenker, R. F., Johnson, T. L., Ribeiro, M., Rodrigues, A., & Chino, J. (2023). Estimating Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Direct Power Consumption of Linear Accelerator-Based External Beam Radiation Therapy. Adv Radiat Oncol, 8(3), 101170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adro.2022.101170
Shenker, Rachel F., Timothy L. Johnson, Marcio Ribeiro, Anna Rodrigues, and Junzo Chino. “Estimating Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Direct Power Consumption of Linear Accelerator-Based External Beam Radiation Therapy.Adv Radiat Oncol 8, no. 3 (2023): 101170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adro.2022.101170.
Shenker RF, Johnson TL, Ribeiro M, Rodrigues A, Chino J. Estimating Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Direct Power Consumption of Linear Accelerator-Based External Beam Radiation Therapy. Adv Radiat Oncol. 2023;8(3):101170.
Shenker, Rachel F., et al. “Estimating Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Direct Power Consumption of Linear Accelerator-Based External Beam Radiation Therapy.Adv Radiat Oncol, vol. 8, no. 3, 2023, p. 101170. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.adro.2022.101170.
Shenker RF, Johnson TL, Ribeiro M, Rodrigues A, Chino J. Estimating Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Direct Power Consumption of Linear Accelerator-Based External Beam Radiation Therapy. Adv Radiat Oncol. 2023;8(3):101170.
Journal cover image

Published In

Adv Radiat Oncol

DOI

ISSN

2452-1094

Publication Date

2023

Volume

8

Issue

3

Start / End Page

101170

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • 3211 Oncology and carcinogenesis