title: Recent advances in combined modality therapy.
abstract: Combined modality therapy emerged from preclinical data showing that carefully chosen drugs could enhance the sensitivity of tumor cells to radiation while having nonoverlapping toxicities. Recent advances in molecular biology involving the identification of cellular receptors, enzymes, and pathways involved in tumor growth and immortality have resulted in the development of biologically targeted drugs. This review highlights the recent clinical data in support of newer generation cytotoxic chemotherapies and systemic targeted agents in combination with radiation therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. mierzwa@uc.edu.
authors.forename: Michelle L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Mierzwa
authors.forename: Mukesh K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Nyati
authors.forename: Meredith A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Theodore S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Lawrence
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000639:trends; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D066246:ErbB Receptors