ABSTRACT
OVERVIEW Radiation therapy has been utilized effectively in the last 30 years as an adjunct and sometimes as primary therapy for controlling malignant tumor growth. It has been refined significantly in recent years to narrow the focus of the beam and lower the levels of radiation required for tumor control. However, the effect of the irradiation on the host immune cells, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts can create problems with healing and soft tissue infections. The combination of radiation with surgery necessarily creates problems with healing that can manifest as wound infections and abscess formation.
