Main description:

Although decades of laboratory and clinical research have led to incremental improvement in treatment outcome, lung cancer remains one of the most deadly diseases. This volume is unique in being devoted solely to the radiation oncology of lung cancer, and will be of great value to all who are involved in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Both non-small cell and small cell lung cancer are considered in detail. Current state-of-the-art treatment strategies and novel approaches that promise further improvements in outcome are explained and evaluated, with the aid of high-quality illustrations. Treatment-related toxicity is discussed, and further individual chapters focus on topics such as quality of life studies, prognostic factors and pitfalls in the design and analysis of clinical trials.

Contents:

Molecular Biology and Genetics of Lung Cancer.- Angiogenesis and Lung Cancer.- Contemporary Issues in Staging of Lung Cancer.- Lung Cancer Surgery.- Radiobiology of Normal Lung Tissue and Lung Tumours.- Radiation Time, Dose, and Fractionation in the Treatment of Lung Cancer.- Treatment Planning and Conformal Radiotherpay.- Target Volumes in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.- Target Volumes in Small Cell Lung Cancer.- Radioprotectors and Chemoprotectors in the Management of Lung Cancer.- Lung Cancer Chemotherapy for Radiation Oncologists.- Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy.- Radiotherapy in Early Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.- Postoperative Radiotherapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma.- Photodynamic Therapy.- Radiochemotherapy in Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.- Chemotherapy or Chemoradiotherapy Followed by Surgical Resection for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.- Palliative External Beam Thoracic Radiotherapy.- Intraoperative Electron Beam Radiotherapy in Lung Cancer.- Intraluminal Radiotherapy.- Limited-Disease of Small Cell Lung Cancer.- Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation in Small Cell Lung Cancer.- Radiation Therapy for Recurrent Lung Cancer.- Radiotherapy for Lung Cancer in Elderly Patient.- Advances in Supportive and Palliative Care for Lung Cancer Patients.- Hematologic Toxicity in Lung Cancer.- Radiation-Induced Lung and Heart Toxicity.- Spinal Cord.- Radiation Therapy-Related Toxicity: Esophagus.- Brain Toxicity.- Quality of Life in Radiation Oncology of Lung Cancer.- Prognostic Factors in Lung Cancer.- Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy for Lung Cancer.- Stereotactic Radiotherapy and Gated Therapy.- Novel Substances in the Treatment of Lung Cancer for the Radiation Oncologist.- PET Scanning in Staging and Evaluation of Response to Treatment in Lung Cancer.- Heavy Particles in Lung Cancer.- Translational Research in Radiation Oncology of Lung Cancer.- Pitfalls in the Design, Conduct and Analysis of Randomised Clinical Trials.- New Directions in the Evaluation and Presentation of Clinical Research in Lung Cancer.