A Brief History of Radiation Oncology at UCSF T. L. Phillips 1928: Robert Stone, M.D. is recruited to head the new Division of Radiology in the Surgery Department. He was trained in Canada and had an interest in Therapy and Diagnostic. 1935: Stone works with the Lawrence Brothers and other physicists to design and build an 800 kVp x-ray machine at the Crocker Lab in Berkeley and install it in the Radiology Department in old UC Hospital. It is one of the first megavoltage units in the US. Equipment at that time consists of this machine, a 200 kVp machine and radium. 1938: Stone begins to work with John Lawrence on the use of neutron beams created in the 30 inch cyclotron to treat cancer. After 35 patients the project is switched to the 60 inch cyclotron and a total of 250 are treated ending in 1942. B.V.A Low-Beer, a Czech radiologist is recruited to head the therapy section in 1941: Radiology. He is interested in radioisotope therapy as he came from working at the Crocker Lab on isotopes. He is also interested in Head and Neck therapy. 1942: The cyclotron is used for Manhattan project work and Stone becomes head of the radiation safety aspects of the Manhattan Project. Many of the faculty leave to serve in the armed forces. 1946: Stone returns and in a Janeway lecture describes the serious complications seen with neutron therapy. Based on this he concludes that very low LET would be better and secures funding from the AEC to build a 70 MeV electron synchrotron. This is built by GE and begins to treat patients in 1955. As part of the project he hires 3 physicists, Gail Adams, Garret Holt and Mary Lou Merck who also staff the therapy section. Radiobiology is staffed by Henry Kohn, Bob Kallman among others. 1955: The radiology department moves from old UC hospital to Moffitt 3rd floor. Therapy has a 1 million volt GE resonant transformer and a 400 and a 250 kVp x-ray machine. This same year Dr. Low-Beer dies of leukemia. 1956: J. Franz Buschke is recruited from the Swedish Hospital in Seattle to head the therapy section. He had pioneered supervoltage radiotherapy after joining the Swedish. Previously he had trained in Germany and France and worked with Del Regato and Cantril. He us joined by Glenn Sheline and Jerry Vaeth, the 3 making up the faculty in 1960. In 1960 the first straight radiation therapy trainee starts at UCSF. 1960: The 400 kVp machine is replaced by a rotational Theratron F cobalt machine. 1962: The synchrotron project is completed. Results are similar to those with 22 MeV betatrons and the 70 kVp to expensive to justify. The facility is converted to the
Laboratory of Radiobiology and Harvey Patt, Sheldon Wolff and James Cleaver recruited to staff it. Dr. Stone retires and Alex Margulis is recruited to Chair Radiology. 1963: Ted Purcell and Ted Phillips, the first straight trainees finish training. 1965: Jerry Vaeth leaves to start the Tumor Institute at Mt. Zion. Ted Phillips is recruited to replace him. Phillips had been doing two years of radiobiology research in the Navy at Hunter’s Point. 1968: The first treatment planning computer is installed and Vernon Smith begins to develop and improve it. 1969 Phillips spends a 6 month sabbatical at Stanford. 1970: Dr. Buschke retires as chief of therapy and Ted Phillips is made chief. The 1 MeV machine is replaced by a Clinac 4, #007, licensed to cure. With RMP funding the Moffitt department is enlarged into nuclear medicine space which is moved elsewhere. Soon after a simulator is installed. Custom block cutting is introduced. 1970: Franklin Hospital (Ralph K. Davies) asks RadOnc at UCSF to staff their new Radonc unit with a cobalt and a 4 MeV Lilac. It becomes an integral part of the department including residents. 1971; Jerry Vaeth leaves Mount Zion and the hospital asks Dean Krevans for help. He requests the Rad Onc section to staff Mount Zion. This is done and the Tricenter is born. Equipment includes a betatron with electrons. Joe Castro becomes chief. For a few years the residency program there remains separate. Radiobiology labs are located at Mount Zion. 1973: LBL asks UCSF to become involved in heavy particle research using helium ions. After biology and physics development treatment of ocular melanoma is begun in 1977. 1974: Rad Onc becomes a Division of Radiology with a separate hospital budget. 1975: UCSF becomes active in RTOG and begins a sensitizer research program. UCSF fails to form a Cancer Center and the Northern California Cancer Program is begun along with the NCOG. Headed by Steve Carter. UCSF radonc is an active leader in this. 1978: Joe Castro becomes full time at LBL, Larry Margolis takes over Mount Zion and Dennis Hill Franklin. Particle program is expanded, supported by a PPG. Neon and Carbon added at the Bevalac. Hyperthermia is underway at Mount Zion. 1978: Radiation Oncology becomes a full separate Department of the Medical School. 1980: The new Long Hospital with a new Radonc department is begun.
1982: The new research labs, RORL, open at MCB. Bill Dewey is recruited to head them. 1983: The new department opens with a 20, a 6 and a 4 MeV linear accelerator, a cobalt machine and 2 simulators. 1984: The Department begins a focused effort to develop as many new modalities as possible in order to offer things not available in private practice and to advance the field. These include: Radiosurgery, hyperthermia, 3D planning, isotopic Immunotherapy, intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) and 3DCRT. 1985: Cliff Ling recruited to head physics division. 1990: Gamma Knife installed. Cliff Ling leaves to take chair at Sloan Kettering. Lynn Verhey recruited to head physics division. 1991: CT scanner installed at Long. IMRT development begun with a collaboration with Nomos. UCSF opens new radonc dept at new UCD cancer center. 1992: Bevalac Closed and particle program ends at LBL. 1994: Proton eye program opens at Crocker Lab at UCD. 1995 : Clinical IMRT begins. 1996: Construction begun on new Cancer Center at Mount Zion. 1998: Phillips steps down as chair, takes Wun-Kon Fu chair. Bill Wara becomes acting chair. 2000: New cancer center opens. Department has 4 dual energy Linacs, CT, simulator and HDR suite. Long retained with 2 Linacs and Gamma Knife. Bill Wara named as permanent chair. 2002: Cyberknife Installed. 2005: Bill Wara Steps down as chair. Mack Roach named interim chair. Note: During this time four faculty members receive the ASTRO gold medal: Buschke, Phillips, Fu and Dewey.