Radiation oncology

Radiotherapy oncology is a medical specialty with a specific field of surgical activity, dedicated to diagnostic aspects, clinical and therapeutic care of cancer patients, primarily oriented to the use of radiation treatments, as well as as well as the use and relative valuation of alternative or associated treatments and research and teaching. It uses high-energy x-rays and gamma rays (high-energy photons), electron beams, and other ionizing radiation to treat certain kinds of cancer.

Traditionally this specialty and form of treatment has been called radiotherapy.

The cancer patient is considered in the general context of the neoplastic disease; especially valuing the integration of treatment with radiation and alternative treatments, in the diagnostic and therapeutic sequence of the approach to their disease. The specialist radiation oncologist must have in-depth clinical training and knowledge of medical oncology, being his competence the indication, planning, control, execution and monitoring of treatment with radiation and associated therapies. He must also be competent in palliative clinical support for the terminally ill, and for assessment and follow-up of cancer patients. The field of action is part of specialized medical care, and requires that specialists have direct access to patient evaluation, participate in multidisciplinary clinical care such as tumor committees, and promote research projects and postgraduate education in those institutions with special academic projection.

The specialist's activity and scope of work covers the different clinical and research aspects related to cancer and the biological effect of radiation and associated treatments. His clinical activity includes the epidemiology, prevention, pathogenesis, clinic, diagnosis, treatment and prognostic assessment of neoplasms. The clinical field of action can be synthesized into three groups of situations that define the medical care of the specialty:

• Study and treatment of cancer patients.
• Study and treatment of non-oncological patients, carriers of pathological entities, susceptible of radiological or associated treatment.
• Study and treatment of individuals subject to irradiation (therapeutic, accidental or any other origin).

It has its origins in the early years of the 20th century. The first doctor to use oncological radiotherapy in Spain was Dr. Celedonio Calatayud in 1906.

The field of instrumental action includes the deep knowledge and expert manipulation of all the technological elements that allow the development of care work appropriate to the evolution of medical equipment:

• External radiation generators for therapeutic use.
• Radioactive Isotopes for radiation therapy.
• Isotope Gammateca.
• Clinical radiophysics equipment.
• Clinical support planners and computers.
• Simulation systems: Simulators, CT, etc.
• Instrumental for procedures for obtaining cytological samples, biopsies and evacuation of serous spills.
• Instrumentation of O.R. and surgical material used for brachytherapy applications.
• Instrumentation of hospital use of equipment to administer intravenous support medication (fluids, antibiotics, analgesics, etc.) or therapeutic (chemotherapy, biological modulators, immunotherapy, etc.).