Combining Targeted Biological Agents with Radiotherapy: Current Status and Future Directions

Front Cover
Demos Medical Publishing, Jun 3, 2008 - Medical - 448 pages
Radiotherapy plays an integral role in cancer treatment. Approximately 60% of cancer patients will receive radiotherapy at some point in their treatment. A major improvement in patient outcomes occurs with the use of combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The combination of targeted biological agents with radiotherapy is the latest cutting-edge extension in cancer therapy for radiation oncologists.

Combining Targeted Biological Agents with Radiotherapy: Current Status and Future Directions is an overview of the current state of clinical and pre-clinical research in combining radiotherapy with targeted biological agents to fight cancer. The text provides a general overview of targeted agents, reviews the current clinical trials, and includes a look at the future of this state-of-the-art practice.

This book begins with a general overview of the topic, including an introduction to the subject; the basic science rationale behind the two most important current targeted agents: epidermal growth factor (EGFR) receptors and vascular epithelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors; the dermatologic manifestations of targeted agents; and an introduction to radioimmunotherapy a treatment that has the ability to combine targeted agents directly with radiotherapy. The second half of the book focuses on specific disease sites, including malignant gliomas, head and neck, lung, pancreatic, cervical, and endometrial cancers.

Biologically targeted agents promise to be the next significant breakthrough in cancer therapy. Written by leading experts in the field, Combining Targeted Biological Agents with Radiotherapy is a comprehensive evaluation of the entire field.

 

Contents

Definitions Limitations and Future Directions
1
Factors Receptors EGFR
17
Vascular Epithelial Growth Factor VEGF Receptors
33
Dermatologic Manifestations of Targeted Therapies
67
Radiolabeled Monoclonal Antibody Therapies
81
Targeted Therapies in Malignant Gliomas
101
Targeted Therapies in Head and Neck Cancer
107
Targeted Therapies in Lung Cancer
139
Targeted Therapies in Pancreatic Cancer
163
Targeted Therapies in Cervical Cancer
185
Targeted Therapies in Endometrial Cancer
201
Index
211
Back Cover
227
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

About the author (2008)

William Small, Jr., MD is Professor of Radiation Oncology and Vice-Chairman of the Department of Radiation Oncology at Northwestern University. He is the Associate Medical Director of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University.

Bibliographic information