Modern Dermatologic Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy of cutaneous cancers and other dermatologic disorders is not covered adequately in many current textbooks of dermatology and radiation oncology. This book is intended to fill that gap. Both text and illustrations are oriented toward the practical aspects of radiation therapy. The beginner will find a concise introduction to physical and biological principles, selec- tion of radiation factors, dose definitions, indications for treatment, and radiation seque- lae. The experienced dermatologist and radiation oncologist will find a detailed discussion of specific indications for various radiation techniques in different body regions. A special effort was made to add pertinent references to the world literature for those who wish to pursue particular topics still further. We have tried to include all major American and European publications of the last 20 years in our bibliography of more than 500 refer- ences, and we also have attempted to review the most important scientific papers on prin- ciples and practice of ionizing radiation therapy in a constructive way. We are grateful to Professor Gorson, Dr. Breneman, and Professor Lindel6f, who generously contributed chapters in their areas of expertise despite their many other com- mitments.