Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 8, 2026

Proton Therapy Delivery and Its Clinical Application in Select Solid Tumor Malignancies
Published on: February 6, 2019
130 Years of Radiotherapy for Nonmalignant Diseases: A Historical Overview
Oliver Micke1, Michael Oertel2, Ralph Muecke3
1Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Franziskus Hospital Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany.
Abstract:
Radiotherapy has long been associated with the treatment of malignant tumors, yet its application in nonmalignant (benign) diseases predates many contemporary oncologic indications and has played a critical role in shaping the broader field of radiation medicine in early times. As of 2025, roughly 130 years have elapsed since the first experimental clinical applications of X‑rays and radium for non‑malignant conditions, and a review of this period may provide insights both into medical innovation and the trade‑offs inherent in using potentially harmful agents for nonmalignant indications. Such a historical overview can help us understand past missteps, guide present practice, and shape future research, especially in defining indications, optimizing dose/fractionation schedules, and ensuring long‑term monitoring of outcomes and risks. Our review will touch cornerstones and landmarks of the long and widely branched history of radiotherapy and also looks at the biographies of important pioneers of the field, so that we can learn from their thinking, research and experience.
Related Concept Videos
X-ray Imaging
Isotopes and Radioisotopes
An isotope containing...
Positron Emission Tomography
One of the main requirements of a PET scan is a positron-emitting radioisotope, which is produced in a cyclotron and then attached to a substance used by the part of the body...
Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
Radiological Investigation I: X-ray and CT
Biological Effects of Radiation

