title: An overview of current practice in external beam radiation oncology with consideration to potential benefits and challenges for nanotechnology.
abstract: Over the past two decades, there has been a significant evolution in the technologies and techniques employed within the radiation oncology environment. Over the same period, extensive research into the use of nanotechnology in medicine has highlighted a range of potential benefits to its incorporation into clinical radiation oncology. This short communication describes key tools and techniques that have recently been introduced into specific stages of a patient's radiotherapy pathway, including diagnosis, external beam treatment and subsequent follow-up. At each pathway stage, consideration is given towards how nanotechnology may be combined with clinical developments to further enhance their benefit, with some potential opportunities for future research also highlighted. Prospective challenges that may influence the introduction of nanotechnology into clinical radiotherapy are also discussed, indicating the need for close collaboration between academic and clinical staff to realise the full clinical benefit of this exciting technology.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7AE UK.|Radiotherapy Physics, Northern Ireland Cancer Centre, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, BT9 7AB UK.
authors.forename: Raymond B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7AE UK.
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: McMahon
authors.affiliation: Radiotherapy Physics, North West Cancer Centre, Western Health and Social Care Trust, Londonderry, BT47 6SB UK.
authors.forename: Wendy B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Hyland
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7AE UK.|Clinical Oncology, Northern Ireland Cancer Centre, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, BT9 7AB UK.
authors.forename: Suneil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7AE UK.
authors.forename: Karl T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Butterworth
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7AE UK.
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Prise
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7AE UK.|Radiotherapy Physics, Northern Ireland Cancer Centre, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, BT9 7AB UK.
authors.forename: Alan R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Hounsell
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7AE UK.|Radiotherapy Physics, Northern Ireland Cancer Centre, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, BT9 7AB UK.
authors.forename: Conor K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: McGarry
keywords: Cancer diagnosis; External beam radiotherapy; Imaging contrast agents; Prostate cancer; Radiosensitisation; Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy; Theranostic nanoparticles