title: The 85th frontier.
abstract: Eighty-five years ago, radiation therapy was discovered, with the restriction of treatment being skin tolerance. This led to time-dose graphs quantitating cure or necrosis. The advent of supervoltage radiation, with skin sparing, treatment simulation and planning, immobilization devices, focus blocks, and computerized tomographic scans, ushered in the era of precision treatment. Radiobiology introduced the hypoxic core and radiation sensitizers. New data concerning the biologic principles of fractional dose, total dose, homogeneity, low-dose implantation, and integration of radiation with surgery, as well as recent protocols, indicate new opportunities for increased local control, cure, and improvement in quality of life.
mesh_terms: D001918:Brachytherapy; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents