Currently, a variety of ions, including carbon, oxygen, and heliumare used for radiation therapy. The behavior and interaction of protons and carbon ions in the body are very similar. Both carbon ions and protons have Bragg peaks. But with below differences :
– The same penetration depth for two beams is not necessarily obtained at equal energy.
– The Bragg peak of carbon ion is sharper than proton, and the carbon ion transmits a lower dose to healthy tissues as they reach the tumor / cancerous tissue.

The most important differences between carbon ions and protons are:
– Peak to Plateau Ratio (PPR) is higher for carbon ions than protons.
– The width of the area below the Bragg peak for carbon ions is less than that of protons.
– Relative Biological Effectiveness (RBE) for carbon ions is higher (1/5-3/4) than protons (1-1/1).
– The curve tail after the Bragg peak is longer for carbon ions than protons.