Combination Radiation Therapy and Chemotherapy: A Logical Basis for Their Clinical Use

Abstract

Since the first site of relapse often determines the therapeutic strategy, a logical basis for integrating radiation, chemical and surgical treatments requires recognition of the failure patterns of each specific cancer. Most patients with cancer fail for three reasons: inability to control the primary tumor (T failure); nodal involvement (N failure); dissemination to distant visceral sites (M failure). Thus, failure may occur from one of these categories or from a combination of factors, as shown in the Venn diagram. (Fig. 1.)