Radiotherapy

The role of radiation oncology has gradually evolved from providing palliation to advanced cancer patients to a definitive curative form of treatment, either alone or as a part of multimodal therapy. Newer modalities in radiotherapy are still undergoing refinements and modifications, and appear promising in attaining better tumour-control at a reasonable level of complications. Though the cost-benefit issue may take a longer time to be answered the treatment scenario envisaged appears scientifically sound. These developments also mandate a fresh look at our physician training programs. Appropriate training in image acquisition and interpretation would be highly useful in this scenario to prevent systematic errors in treatment planning. The need of the hour in our country is to encourage the setting-up of newer modern facilities and upgrading the existing ones in the larger interest of patient care and also for physician training.