Over recent decades, combined modality treatment has drastically improved the cure rates for various malignant tumors. Further progress is expected through the design of sound combinations involving recently developed drugs. The first part of this book summarizes the rationale and the preclinical data for combined treatment with ionizing radiation and pharmaceutical agents. Individual chapters focus on different forms of combined treatment, with due consideration being given to a range of drugs and to emerging combinations with small molecules and antibodies. The second part of the book comprises a series of disease-specific chapters in which the clinical results of combined modality treatment are presented. The text, written by acknowledged experts, is specifically designed to be accessible to professionals from the various disciplines involved in multidisciplinary cancer care and to residents in radiation oncology training programs.

Preclinical Part

Biological Basis of Combined Radio- and Chemotherapy
Combinations of Antimetabolites and Ionizing Radiation
Combinations of Taxanes and Ionizing Radiation
Combinations of Topoisomerase Inhibitors and Ionizing Radiation
Combinations of Hypoxia-Targeting Compounds and Radiation-Activated Prodrugs with Ionizing Radiation
Combinations of Platinum Compounds and Ionizing Radiation
Combinations of Cytotoxic Drugs, Ionizing Radiation, and Angiogenesis Inhibitors
Combinations of Cytotoxic Drugs, Ionizing Radiation and EGFR Inhibitors
Combinations of Cytotoxic Drugs, Ionizing Radiation, and Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) Inhibitors
Combinations of Ionizing Radiation and Other Sensitizing Agents
Radiotherapy and Tumor-Targeted Drug Delivery
Clinical Part
Applications in Malignant Brain Tumors
Applications in Head and Neck Cancer
Applications in Esophageal and Gastric Cancer
Novel Chemoradiation in Localized Pancreatic Cancer: Clinical Studies
Applications in Lung Cancer
Integration of Radiation Therapy and Systemic Therapy for Breast Cancer
Applications in Rectal and Anal Cancer
Concomitant Radiation and Chemotherapy in Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
Applications to Gynecological Cancers
Early and Late Treatment-Induced Toxicity
Feasibility of Combined Chemo- and Radiation Treatment in Elderly/Comorbid Patients.