Different Radiotherapy Methods: A Review

Cancer is one of the principal causes of mortality in the modern world. There are different treatment methods available for cancer such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and hormone therapy. About 40% of all cancer patients receive radiotherapy during their illness for treatment or for local control or symptomatic palliation. In clinical radiation oncology, the final aim is to attain uncomplicated cancer treatment. The aim of treatment is to deliver a maximum radiation effect to a tumor or other lesions with minimal impact on the normal tissue. Significant technological advances like intensity-modulated radiotherapy have increased the possibility to shape the dose distribution to the target volume more favorably and thus spare a larger portion of the healthy tissues. In this review, the principles and applications of different cancer treatment methods are compared.