Emerging Technology in Cancer Treatment: Radiotherapy Modalities
Emerging Technology in Cancer Treatment: Radiotherapy Modalities
Dr. Hevezi has outlined some exciting new developments in the
field of radiation oncology in his thorough review. Since its
inception, radiation oncology has been geographically based, ie,
related to the radiation exposure of tumor vs normal tissue. It
is therefore a logical extension of new radiographic technology
that allows for more precise placement of radiation fields than
ever before. Further, as outlined by Dr. Hevezi, the development
of treatment planning computers coupled to verification
computers on the liner accelerator is associated with precise
radiation delivery that exploits the relative radiation dose
between the tumor and normal tissue, allowing higher doses to be
used without increased toxicity. Stereotatic Body Radiation
Therapy One additional example is the concept of stereotaxis for
the treatment of tumors within the body utilizing either a
single fraction or