title: The evolution of the basic concepts underlying the practice of radiotherapy from 1949 to 1977.
abstract: In his overview of the history and theoretical developments of radiotherapy, the author stresses the following concepts: (a) sensitivity is not linked to histology but to the volume of cancer; (b) the dose must not necessarily be homogeneous in the target volume but related to varying volumes of cancer; (c) the fact that irradiation may not be the sole treatment in some tumors does not mean that it does not have a place in their management; (d) as a general rule, large tumors should not be treated with irradiation only, if gross cancer can be resected simply; (e) since there is a dose-response curve for control rates and for complications, an optimum dose level must be maintained; and (f) the patient's quality of life is a major concern.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy; D002648:Child; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000532:radiotherapy; D012811:Sigmoid Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D014481:United States