[9] Principles of Radiation Oncology

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Principles of Radiation Oncology

Richard S. Pieters, Linda Ding, Harry Bushe & Jesse N. Aronowitz

This chapter is part of: Pieters RS, Liebmann J, eds. Cancer Concepts: A Guidebook for the Non-Oncologist. Worcester, MA: UMass Chan Medical School; 2015-. doi: 10.7191/cancer_concepts

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Description
This chapter in Cancer Concepts: a Guidebook for the Non-Oncologist describes the principles of Radiation Oncology. Radiation Oncology utilizes ionizing radiation to treat cancer (and occasionally a few benign conditions). Radiotherapy or radiation therapy (RT) was initially developed in conjunction with diagnostic radiology, but has evolved into a separate specialty. Currently, more than fifty percent of cancer patients undergo RT at some point during the course of their cancer. Most receive treatment with curative intent (radical therapy); however, patients with incurable disease receive shorter, gentler courses of therapy to relieve cancer-induced symptoms.

Description

This chapter in Cancer Concepts: a Guidebook for the Non-Oncologist describes the principles of Radiation Oncology. Radiation Oncology utilizes ionizing radiation to treat cancer (and occasionally a few benign conditions). Radiotherapy or radiation therapy (RT) was initially developed in conjunction with diagnostic radiology, but has evolved into a separate specialty. Currently, more than fifty percent of cancer patients undergo RT at some point during the course of their cancer. Most receive treatment with curative intent (radical therapy); however, patients with incurable disease receive shorter, gentler courses of therapy to relieve cancer-induced symptoms.

Details

Published	Published By
March 25, 2019	UMass Chan Medical School
License Information
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Citation
Richard S. Pieters et al. 2017. Principles of Radiation Oncology. In Pieters RS, Liebmann J, eds. Cancer Concepts: A Guidebook for the Non-Oncologist. Worcester, MA: UMass Chan Medical School; 2015-. doi: 10.7191/cancer_concepts

Publisher Notes
Principles of Radiation Oncology has the following notes:
- 2nd edition.
  
  This project has been funded in whole or in part with federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, under Contract No. HHSN276201100010C with the University of Massachusetts, Worcester.