ABSTRACT
Radiation oncology is the clinical and scientific discipline dedicated to the management of cancer patients with ionizing radiation, either alone or in combination with other modalities such as surgery, chemotherapy or biological therapies. The aim of radiotherapy is to deliver a precise dose of radiation to a defined tumor volume with minimal damage to surrounding normal tissues. Normal tissue sensitivity limits the amount of radiation delivered at a time. Therefore, small doses of radiation, or fractions of the total dose, are delivered regularly over a specific period of time to attain either tumor eradication or control. Indications for radiotherapy in the management of cancer, defined prior to therapeutic intervention, are detailed further below.
