Helium ion therapy offers several advantages. With less lateral scattering compared to protons, it can target tumors with more precision. Helium therapy also causes fewer fragments than carbon therapy, resulting in lower doses to healthy tissue. Lastly, helium therapy produces a lower neutron dose compared to protons or carbon, reducing medical risks, especially in pediatric patients.

Furthermore, helium might also be effective, at a lower cost than carbon in treating some radioresistant tumors. It's also potentially better suited for FLASH therapy. Further research still needs to be conducted to understand the potential of Helium Therapy.
 

The current HeLICS baseline is a triangular synchrotron with a circumference of 33 m. The lattice consists of three bending units connected by longer straight sections yielding to the triangular layout. In the bending section, there are two 60 degree main magnets to bend the beam and a quadrupole between them for dispersion control. The straight sections are designed to accommodate injection and extraction septa as well as the RF cavity for acceleration. The helium beam is accelerated from 5 MeV up to treatment energies of 60-220 MeV to achieve a penetration depth of 30 cm in water. This energy range is sufficient to cover the maximum depth of tumors under consideration. All of these components allow HeLICS to accurately power the treatment for patients. 

CERN is currently collaborating with Baltic countries on an innovative particle therapy facility that can accelerate both protons and helium ions. The design will be versatile and adaptable, focusing on multiple uses such as patient treatment, research, and isotope production. The modular design allows for the addition or removal of various components. Furthermore, the facility is designed to be upgradable, keeping in mind potential future requirements in terms of ions, intensities, and other technological advancements.