Innovative technologies in radiation oncology
Bolle, S.; Louis, C.; Coucke, P.A.
Revue Medicale de Liege 62(5-6): 399-404
2007
ISSN/ISBN: 0370-629X PMID: 17725213 Document Number: 614870
At present, radiation oncology is again flourishing thanks to the development of highly accurate techniques as intensity modulated radiation therapy, stereotactic radiation therapy and hadrontherapy. These therapeutic modalities are made possible by the advent of image guided radiation therapy and respiratory gating that allows a better patient repositioning during the irradiation and between fractions. Nowadays, thanks to these recent technological advances, one can more easily conceive dose escalation, hypofractionation and combined treatment of radiation with sensitizing drugs and this together with a better protection of normal tissue aiming at, simultaneously, improved tumour control and better quality of life. This article describes these innovative technologies that, when integrated to other anti-tumoral therapeutic modalities, seem to be very promising.