Preface

Throughout the world, radiation therapy is one of the most common but misunderstand tools in the treatment armentarium for the practicing clinical oncology team. During the past several years there have been significant innovations with respect to the treatment planning and administration of radiotherapy, whether external beam, brachytherapy, and/or other modes of delivery.

This issue of the Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America discusses the role of radiation medicine as part of curative management for both solid and hematologic malignancies. It updates readers on current clinical trials that include radiotherapy as an integral component of therapy. The contributors to these issues comprise the brightest minds within the specialty. Moreover, they have written each article with the expressed intent of educating non–radiation-medicine specialists on the topic at hand. The focus is on a multidisciplinary approach, whether for potentially curative intent or for short-term palliation.

In essence, this two-part series aims to update practicing oncologists and members of the associated patient care team on many of the exciting changes that are taking place in the area of radiation medicine.

We would like to thank all our contributors for their outstanding efforts in making this a successful endeavor. We would also like to acknowledge Kerry Holland, Donald Mumford, and the entire production team at Elsiever, as well as our associate, Christiane Crosby, for their generous contributions of time, talent, expertise, and discipline to ensure an outstanding pair of issues of the Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America.