Chapter 13
Radiation therapy and soft tissue response
Book Editor(s):Ross D. Farhadieh BSc(Med)Hons, MBBS, MD, EBOPRASF, FRACS(Plast), FRCS(Plast),
Neil W. Bulstrode BSc(Med)Hons, MBBS, MD, FRCS(Plast),
Sabrina Cugno MD, MSc, FRCSC,
Ross D. Farhadieh BSc(Med)Hons, MBBS, MD, EBOPRASF, FRACS(Plast), FRCS(Plast)
Panthea Plastic Surgery Clinics, Sydney and Canberra, Australia and Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorNeil W. Bulstrode BSc(Med)Hons, MBBS, MD, FRCS(Plast)
Clinical Lead Plastic Surgery
Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK
Search for more papers by this authorSabrina Cugno MD, MSc, FRCSC
Assistant Professor
McGill University, Department of Plastic Surgery, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, Canada
Search for more papers by this authorSummary
This chapter briefly describes the principles of radiotherapy and modes of delivery. Its focus is on the effects of radiation therapy on soft tissues and the molecular basis for late radiation toxicity, in particularly radionecrosis and osteoradionecrosis. Supportive management of the acute and late effects of radiotherapy are described. The impact of radiotherapy on wound healing and the subsequent implications this has on the timing of surgery are considered in detail. Radiation-induced second malignancies are also discussed.
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Further reading
- Hall EJ. Radiobiology for the Radiobiologist. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins; 2006.
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Joiner M. Basic Clinical Radiobiology ( 4th edn). London: Edward Arnold; 2009.
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