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Past, present, and future of radiotherapy for the benefit of patients

Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology volume 10, pages 52–60 (2013)Cite this article

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Abstract

Radiotherapy has been driven by constant technological advances since the discovery of X-rays in 1895. Radiotherapy aims to sculpt the optimal isodose on the tumour volume while sparing normal tissues. The benefits are threefold: patient cure, organ preservation and cost-efficiency. The efficacy and tolerance of radiotherapy were demonstrated by randomized trials in many different types of cancer (including breast, prostate and rectum) with a high level of scientific evidence. Such achievements, of major importance for the quality of life of patients, have been fostered during the past decade by linear accelerators with computer-assisted technology. More recently, these developments were augmented by proton and particle beam radiotherapy, usually combined with surgery and medical treatment in a multidisciplinary and personalized strategy against cancer. This article reviews the timeline of 100 years of radiotherapy with a focus on breakthroughs in the physics of radiotherapy and technology during the past two decades, and the associated clinical benefits.

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Figure 1: Prostate cancer radiotherapy 1935–2010.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge Pascale Martino, Adrian Plesu, Bastien Chanoux, Vincent Corvasce, Jerome Mandrillon and Karen Benezery for their help in making figures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre Antoine Lacassagne—University Nice Sophia Antipolis, 33 Avenue Valombrose, Nice, 06189, France

    Juliette Thariat, Jean-Michel Hannoun-Levi & Jean-Pierre Gérard

  2. Brachytherapy Unit, The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Lower Lane, Fazakerley, L9 7BA, Liverpool, UK

    Arthur Sun Myint

  3. Department of Radiation Oncology, Hôpital Général Juif—McGill University, 3755 chemin de la Cote St Catherine, Montréal, H3T 1E2, QC, Canada

    Te Vuong

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  1. Juliette Thariat
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Contributions

J. Thariat, J.-M. Hannoun-Levi and J.-P. Gérard researched the data for the article. J. Thariat and J.-P. Gérard discussed the article content and then wrote the manuscript with A. Sun Myint and T. Vuong. All authors edited the manuscript before submission.

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Correspondence to Jean-Pierre Gérard.

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Competing interests

J. P. Gérard acts as a consultant for Ariane Medical Systems. The other authors declare no competing interests.

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Thariat, J., Hannoun-Levi, JM., Sun Myint, A. et al. Past, present, and future of radiotherapy for the benefit of patients. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 10, 52–60 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrclinonc.2012.203

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