Nanotechnology-Mediated Radiation Therapy

To know more about different ways of successful applications of nanoparticles in radiation therapy, this chapter provides a better understanding of the principles of radiation therapy, existing conventional approaches, and possibility of the inclusivity of nanotechnology-mediated approach that can revolutionize the existing scenario in radiation therapy. A sophisticated form of 3D-CRT also known as intensity-modulated radiotherapy is one of the predominant techniques to treat head and neck cancer at the targeted site to minimize surrounding tissue damage along with brachytherapy. Image-guided radiation therapy has a malleable definition that can be broadly defined as the imaging technique for detection and diagnosis, target volume evaluation, and dose distribution design with the ultimate aim to achieve precision in radiation delivery in reducing tumor size and avoiding toxicities. There are four types of radiation-induced cell death mechanisms namely, mitotic cell death, apoptosis and necrosis, autophagy, and senescence. The chapter provides detailed information regarding these mechanisms.