Abstract
Cancer continues to be a leading cause of death in the developed world, with physicians and scientists constantly devising new weapons to combat it. Chemotherapy, surgery, nutrition, and holistic medicine all have a place in the multimodal approach that can prolong longevity and ameliorate quality of life. As part of this armamentarium, radiation therapy (XRT) has proven to be a safe and effective technique for the management of various malignant (and occasionally nonmalignant) lesions. XRT can be used for both curative and palliative purposes; in the latter case, patients benefit from decreased pain, preserved organ function, and the maintenance of lumen patency in hollow organs.
1
The medical team, led by a radiation oncologist, often includes a physicist, a dosimetrist, several radiation therapists (technologists), and the patient’s primary care physician.
2
Anesthesiologists are increasingly being asked to join this team, as our services are recognized as a vital component for patient safety and comfort.