Practice points for radiation oncology

Radiotherapy is an indispensable treatment modality in modern oncology with curative potential in applying ionizing radiation in a wide spectrum of malignancies. Radiotherapy is often combined in multidisciplinary concepts with surgery or cytostatic drugs, and increasingly also with molecular-targeted therapies. The aim of radiotherapy is to achieve uncomplicated local or locoregional tumour control, that is to permanently inactivate all cancer cells in the irradiated volume without inducing severe normal tissue reactions. This aim can be reached for a substantial proportion of patients with modern high-precision radiation treatment planning and application technologies. Clinical and radiobiological principles guide the radiation oncologist in time-dose volume prescription of radiotherapy and in selection of the optimal radiation treatment plan for the individual patient. The scope of this chapter is to summarize important basic biological, physical, and clinical principles and practice points of radiotherapy of relevance for the non-radiation oncologist.

Practice points for radiation oncology

Radiotherapy is an indispensable treatment modality in modern oncology with curative potential in applying ionizing radiation in a wide spectrum of malignancies. Radiotherapy is often combined in multidisciplinary concepts with surgery or cytostatic drugs, and increasingly also with molecular-targeted therapies. The aim of radiotherapy is to achieve uncomplicated local or locoregional tumour control, that is to permanently inactivate all cancer cells in the irradiated volume without inducing severe normal tissue reactions. This aim can be reached for a substantial proportion of patients with modern high-precision radiation treatment planning and application technologies. Clinical and radiobiological principles guide the radiation oncologist in time-dose volume prescription of radiotherapy and in selection of the optimal radiation treatment plan for the individual patient. The scope of this chapter is to summarize important basic biological, physical, and clinical principles and practice points of radiotherapy of relevance for the non-radiation oncologist.