ABSTRACT
In the past few years, there has been considerable interest in the applications of nanotechnology to radiation oncology, primarily focusing on the use of metal nanostructures as a means of enhancing the eect of radiation in a multitude of ways. In this book, we have explored this rapidly expanding eld, and detailed the many dierent areas that nanotechnology is growing to overlap the discipline of radiation oncology. It seems probable that some, if not most, of these research eorts will develop further in the near future to impact clinical care. In this nal chapter, we aim to look back on the state-of-the-art of these growing elds in order to summarize and harmonize the many oshoots of technology for a more holistic view of the whole eld, and also to look forward and try to imagine what the future will hold for this multidisciplinary marriage between the technology family and the medicine family. is chapter is aimed at professionals from both sides of the divide-for the scientist as well as the clinician-wishing to keep abreast of latest developments. In keeping with this aim, details of research methodologies or nanoparticle structures have been generally omitted-the interested reader is always welcome to review the relevant chapter for more detailed information.
