Normal Tissue Reactions in Radiotherapy and Oncology

Drawing from the International Symposium on Normal Tissue Reactions in Radiotherapy and Oncology, held in Marburg on April 14-15, 2000, this volume covers all aspects of side effects in radio-oncological treatment of tumors, and of combined, multi-modal therapies. Recent developments as well as future perspectives in radiation biology of acute and late responding normal tissues are included. Special focus is given to more general treatment effects, such as anaemia, fatigue and impairment of quality of life, and post-treatment rehabilitation requirements. The book illuminates forensic aspects of radiation therapy and related complications; it further exemplifies incidence, documentation, and clinical management approaches for side effects as well as novel cyto-/tissue-protective strategies. Particular features of side effects after stereotactic or radiosurgical treatment of brain tumors, unconventional irradiation protocols for head and neck tumors, and conformal radiotherapy for prostate tumors are illustrated and followed by discussions of an optimization of physical treatment planning, e.g. by intensity modulation techniques. Bringing together medical, biological, molecular and physical expertise, research in the field of radiation-induced side effects is a true interdisciplinary effort. This publication will therefore be of great value to biologists, physicists and physicians of all disciplines involved in radio-oncological and multi-modal tumor therapy.