The success of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for intracranial lesions spawned interest in applying the same principles of narrowly focused high-dose per-fraction irradiation in the management of selected extracranial tumors. The transition included an initial effort to design and implement a…
The term radio-surgery was possibly first used in a medical context more than 90 years ago, when Dr. Francis Hernaman-Johnson described in a lecture to the Royal Society of Medicine an assortment of indications where x-ray therapy might be combined…
Emergence of Immunotherapy Immunotherapy encompasses a class of biologic substrates including peptides, recombinant antibodies, and cells that are administered to target the immune system and treat disease. In the field of oncology, immunotherapy has old origins (like the use of…
Abbreviations ADCC = antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity AML = acute myeloid leukemia APL = acute promyelocytic leukemia ASCT = autologous stem cell transplant BED = biological equivalent dose BMT = bone marrow transplantation BU = busulfan CLL = chronic lymphocytic leukemia…
Over recent years, the interest and technologic advances in charged particle therapy have resulted in the opening of numerous charged particle radiation oncology centers across the globe. Interest in the use of charged particle radiotherapy derives from the superior dose…
Total body irradiation (TBI) is a radiotherapy technique that has been applied to treat various benign and malignant diseases over the past century. The technique has evolved in parallel with an increase in the knowledge of the biologic response to…
Intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) is the delivery of radiation during surgery ( Video 22.1 ). The rationale is straightforward: escalating radiation dose may enhance local tumor control. In many clinical situations, the dose delivered by external-beam radiation techniques is limited by…
In this chapter, we will describe both theoretical and practical considerations for modern image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) simulation, planning, and treatment delivery. Most of the concepts can be applied to all forms of highly conformal therapy, including 3D conformal radiotherapy (3D…
General Principles Brachytherapy is arguably the most conformal of all the modes of radiotherapy. Accurate placement of sources directly in the target area allows for precise dose delivery to the target with unparalleled sparing of normal adjacent tissue. Although a…
Introduction The Relationship Between Safety and Quality Health care is replete with examples of errors culminating in adverse events that compromise the quality and value of care. It comes as no surprise that optimum oncological outcomes depend on excellent execution…