Radiotherapy: basic principles and technical advances

Radiotherapy has been used in the treatment of malignancy for more than 100 years. Ionizing radiation damages cancerous cells leading to cell death. Treatment may be delivered externally or internally. The radiotherapy planning process includes a number of key steps to ensure accurate and safe delivery of treatment. There are a number of strategies available to improve radiotherapy, either exploiting radiobiology aspects or through advances in technology. The field of radiotherapy is exciting and evolving rapidly, with the aim of these advances to improve the outcome of patients treated for malignancy.