LUNG CANCER RADIOTHERAPY POSSIBILITIES AND PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

For lung cancer patients the problem of inadequate locoregional control is correlated with a poor survival. Modern radiotherapy allows optimisation of tumor dose, while spearing sorrounding normal tissue. But with standart conformal radiotherapy generally large volumes are treated, what determines risk of treatment related complications and limits possibilities for dose escalation. Higher conformality of the planned dose distributions and higher levels of accuracy in radiotherapy delivery reduces the amount of normal tissues irradiated, such that the tumor and pathologic lymph nodes can be safely irradiated to higher doses. New sophisticated radiotherapy now enables possibility of highly conformal and accurate treatment. In this review we describe recent developments in imaging, treatment planning and treatment delivery that have the potential to increase the efficacy of lung cancer radiation therapy.