TY - JOUR
T1 - Introduction to novel developments in radio-imaging and radiotherapy
AU - Stea, Baldassarre
AU - Witte, Russell S.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.
PY - 2022/2
Y1 - 2022/2
N2 - Radiation therapy has long been known to be a very effective form of therapy in relieving symptoms and prolonging the life of patients with brain metastases. Novel developments in this field have allowed oncologists to improve on older forms of radiation therapy; these recent advances in radiotherapeutic techniques (stereotactic radiosurgery and hippocampal-avoidant whole brain radiation therapy) allow sparing of the healthy brain from receiving unnecessary radiation while delivering effective treatment to the metastases, thus improving the quality of life for surviving patients. Furthermore, multiple clinical trials have documented the increased loco-regional control in the brain when radiosurgery is interdigitated with immune check point inhibitors for treatment of melanoma brain metastases. Mild hyperthermia has been used for decades as an adjuvant to radiotherapy in the treatment of radiation resistant cancers; lately, however, thermal therapies, such as hyperthermia, cryoablation, radiofrequency ablation and high intensity focused ultrasound are being investigated to provide a new ablative approach to cancer while thermoacoustic imaging and thermometry have recently been proposed as new techniques for monitoring tissue temperature in the breast during ablation treatment. In addition, other hybrid techniques have emerged that combine ultrasounds with other forms of energy such as light to provide a more accurate diagnosis and enhance the efficacy of therapy for early and late stage cancers.
AB - Radiation therapy has long been known to be a very effective form of therapy in relieving symptoms and prolonging the life of patients with brain metastases. Novel developments in this field have allowed oncologists to improve on older forms of radiation therapy; these recent advances in radiotherapeutic techniques (stereotactic radiosurgery and hippocampal-avoidant whole brain radiation therapy) allow sparing of the healthy brain from receiving unnecessary radiation while delivering effective treatment to the metastases, thus improving the quality of life for surviving patients. Furthermore, multiple clinical trials have documented the increased loco-regional control in the brain when radiosurgery is interdigitated with immune check point inhibitors for treatment of melanoma brain metastases. Mild hyperthermia has been used for decades as an adjuvant to radiotherapy in the treatment of radiation resistant cancers; lately, however, thermal therapies, such as hyperthermia, cryoablation, radiofrequency ablation and high intensity focused ultrasound are being investigated to provide a new ablative approach to cancer while thermoacoustic imaging and thermometry have recently been proposed as new techniques for monitoring tissue temperature in the breast during ablation treatment. In addition, other hybrid techniques have emerged that combine ultrasounds with other forms of energy such as light to provide a more accurate diagnosis and enhance the efficacy of therapy for early and late stage cancers.
KW - Brain metastases
KW - Focused microwave therapy
KW - Hyperthermia
KW - Immune check point inhibitors
KW - Non-invasive treatment of tumors
KW - Stereotactic radiosurgery
KW - Thermo-acoustic imaging
KW - Tumors radiosensitivity
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U2 - 10.1007/s10585-021-10114-x
DO - 10.1007/s10585-021-10114-x
M3 - Review article
C2 - 34387805
AN - SCOPUS:85112401305
SN - 0262-0898
VL - 39
SP - 219
EP - 224
JO - Clinical and Experimental Metastasis
JF - Clinical and Experimental Metastasis
IS - 1
ER -