3 Review(s)

This is a basic teaching book for radiation oncologists, radiation physicists, and radiobiologists, setting out the biological basis of radiation therapy. Early chapters deal with essential areas of science, including cell proliferation in tumours and normal tissues, principles of radiation cell killing, theoretical and modelling approaches, and molecular aspects of radiobiology. Subsequent chapters deal with the applications of radiobiology to clinical radiotherapy. The principles of fractionalism are described in detail, leading to the rationale of current approaches to the improvement of radiotherapy schedules. Also discussed are efforts to beat hypoxia in tumours, brachytherapy, the principles and use of particle beams, the combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, hyperthermia, targeted radiotherapy, and current efforts to individualize treatment with radiation therapy. This second edition has been updated and expanded to include advances in molecular growth. Each chapter concludes with a list of key points, and there are frequent cross-references between chapters.