Modern radiotherapy for modern surgeons: an update on radiation oncology

Changes in the practice of radiation oncology have been significant over the last decade and continue to develop at an exciting rate. These advances range from our understanding of the increasingly important role of radiotherapy in the adjuvant and definitive settings to huge technological progress in the areas of tumour delineation, treatment planning, delivery and verification. In many cases, benefits have resulted from the ability of modern radiotherapy to deliver high doses with great accuracy and increasing safety in a highly individualized manner. This has impacted favourably on the management of all major malignancies as discussed in this paper. A good understanding of what can be achieved with modern radiotherapy has never been more important in ensuring an effective multidisciplinary approach to cancer management.