Radiotherapy for lymphomas

Radiotherapy was the first curative treatment modality for the lymphomas and represented some of the earliest success stories of the non-surgical treatment of cancer. With the advent of effective multiagent chemotherapy regimens, the role of radiotherapy changed. Radiotherapy now became part of multimodality treatment, but sometimes radiotherapy remains the most effective single modality for the treatment. New techniques allow highly conformal radiotherapy, sparing large volumes of normal tissues while maintaining target coverage. Besides, PET scanning has become established as perhaps the most important imaging study for lymphoma patients. The mail goal of this lecture is to optimize radiotherapy for lymphomas (nodal and extranodal) by providing clinicians who treat patients with this disease with a comprehensive account of the background for radiotherapy for lymphomas, the rational for radiotherapy in a modern combined modality setting and the data that document its contribution to the best outcome for patients. Special emphasis is given to the changes in volume and dose that have evolved over the past 2 decades, and the use of modern advanced technologies in imaging and radiotherapy planning and delivery in order to accurately target involved sites and protect adjacent organs. This lecture is intended for senior trainees and fellows in hematology, oncology and radiotherapy, together with a more experienced practitiones, who regularly treat the lymphoma patients.