"Inside the Sixth Edition of this now-reference, you will discover encyclopedic coverage of topics ranging from basic science to sophisticated computer-based radiation therapy treatment planning and supportive care. The book's comprehensive scope and abundantly illustrated format provide you with better understanding of the natural history of cancer, the physical methods of radiation application, the effects of radiation on normal tissues, and the most judicious ways in which you can employ radiation therapy in patient care. Including epidemiology, pathology, diagnostic work-up, prognostic factors, treatment techniques, applications of surgery and chemotherapy, end results, and more. Increased emphasis on new approaches and technologies improve your understanding of three-dimensional treatment planning, intensity-modulated radiotherapy, combined modality therapy, and particle therapy. Digital version includes the complete text, index-based search, note sharing, regular content updates integrated into the text, and much more."

Section I: overview and basic science of radiation oncology. The discipline of radiation oncology -- Cancer biology -- Biologic basis of radiation therapy -- Molecular cancer and radiation biology -- Molecular pathophysiology of tumors -- Smart radiotherapy -- Medical radiation physics -- Principles of radiologic physics and dosimetry -- Photon external-beam dosimetry and treatment planning -- Electron-beam therapy dosimetry, treatment planning, and techniques -- Conformal radiation therapy physics, treatment planning, and clinical aspects -- Intensity-modulated radiation treatment techniques and clinical applications -- Image-guided radiation therapy -- Section II: techniques, modalities, and modifiers in radiation oncology. Altered fractionation schedules -- Late effects and QUANTEC -- Methodology of clinical trials -- Total-body and hemibody irradiation -- Stereotactic radiosurgery and radiotherapy -- Stereotactic irradiation of tumors outside the central nervous system -- Intraoperative radiotherapy -- Proton therapy -- Carbon ions -- Methods of immobilization and stabilization -- Physics and biology of brachytherapy -- Clinical applications of brachytherapy: low-dose rate and pulsed-dose rate -- The physics and dosimetry of high-dose-rate brachytherapy -- Clinical aspects and applications of high-dose-rate brachytherapy -- Radioimmunotherapy and unsealed radionuclide therapy -- Photodynamic therapy -- Radiation oncology in the developing world -- Chemical modifiers of radiation response -- Oncologic imaging/oncologic anatomy -- Hyperthermia as a treatment modality -- Basic concepts of chemotherapy and irradiation interaction -- Section III: Clinical radiation oncology. Skin -- Aids-related malignancies -- Neoplasms associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome -- Central nervous system -- Primary intracranial neoplasms -- Pituitary gland cancer -- Spinal canal -- Head and neck -- Eye and orbit -- Ear -- Locally advanced squamous carcinoma of the head and neck -- Nasopharynx -- Cancer of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses -- Salivary gland cancer -- Oral cavity -- Oropharynx -- Hypopharynx. Laryngeal cancer -- Unusual nonepithelial tumors of the head and neck -- Neck cancer including unknown primary tumor -- Thyroid cancer -- Thorax -- Lung cancer -- Mediastinal and tracheal cancer -- Esophageal cancer -- Tumors of the heart, pericardium, and great vessels -- Breast -- Breast cancer: stage Tis -- Breast cancer: early stage -- Breast cancer: locally advanced and recurrent disease, postmastectomy radiation, systemic therapies -- Gastrointestinal -- Stomach cancer -- Pancreatic cancer -- Cancer of the liver and hepatobiliary tract -- Cancer of the colon and rectum -- Anal cancer -- Cancer of the kidney, renal pelvis, and ureter -- Bladder cancer -- Male genitourinary -- Low-risk prostate cancer -- Intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer -- Testicular cancer -- Cancer of the penis and male urethra -- Gynecologic -- Uterine cervix -- Endometrial cancer -- Ovarian and fallopian tube cancer -- Vaginal cancer -- Cancer of the female urethra -- Carcinoma of the vulva -- Retroperitoneum and adrenal gland -- Retroperitoneal cancer -- Adrenal cancer -- Lymphoma and hematologic tumors -- Hodgkin Lymphoma -- Non-Hodgkin lymphomas -- Primary cutaneous lymphomas -- Leukemia -- Plasma cell myeloma and plasmacytoma -- Bone and soft tissue -- Osteosarcoma and other primary tumors of bone -- Soft tissue sarcoma (excluding retroperitoneum) -- Pediatric -- Central nervous system tumors in children -- Wilms tumor -- Neuroblastoma -- Rhabdomyosarcoma -- Ewing tumor -- Lymphomas in children -- Unusual tumors in children -- Benign diseases -- Nonmalignant diseases -- Endovascular brachytherapy -- Section IV: Palliative and supportive care. Palliation of brain and spinal cord metastases -- Palliation of bone metastases -- Palliation of visceral recurrences and metastases and treatment of oligometastatic disease -- Pain management -- Supportive care and quality of life -- Section V: economics, ethics, and technology assessment. Technology assessment, outcome analysis research, comparative effectiveness, and evidence-based radiation oncology -- Ethics, professional values, and legal considerations in radiation oncology -- Economics of radiation oncology.