Abstract
Although radiation therapy has an established role to play in the management of rectal and anal tumors, there are often treatment-related morbidities that negatively impact on patients. There is a long-standing interest in radiation oncology on maximizing treatment efficacy while minimizing treatment-related toxicities, which can be pronounced in the treatment of pelvic malignancies. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy is a recently introduced technology that has the potential to increase the efficacy:toxicity ratio. It has been implemented in the treatment of prostate and head and neck tumors with success. This article reviews the rationale for its use in treating anorectal tumors and discusses early clinical data supporting its continued investigation.
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge Leigh O’Neill and Kim Light for generating the 3D plans, as well as Sua Yoo for her assistance in generating the IMRT plans.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.