Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design

Radiation Oncology

The branch of Oncology dealing with Radiation therapy is termed as Radiation Oncology. The main Radiotherapeutic methods can be classified in Teleradiotherapy, Brachy-radiotherapy, and Metabolic radiotherapy. Tele-radiotherapy is also termed as External transcutaneous/distant radiotherapy, in which case the radiation source is situated at a certain distance from the tissue to be treated. Brachytherapy is also termed Short direct radiotherapy /Curietherapy. The radiation source can be placed in contact with the tumor or it can be implanted in the tumor. Curative radiotherapy is indicated to be used in Sticker’s sarcoma, Mastocytomas with particular locations, such as ears, nose, extremities, eyelids, etc.; Acanthomatous epulis; Ameloblastoma; Nasal cavity adenocarcinoma and Anal gland adenocarcinoma. Stereotactic radiosurgery is a single-day procedure for treating small intracranial lesions. Metabolic radiotherapy represents the administration of isotopes or isotope carrying molecules that selectively concentrate in a certain tissue into which they enter as metabolites. For Example; iodine 131 - in Thyroid cancer; phosphorus 32 - in Myeloproliferative disorders.