Biological basis for the interaction of chemotherapeutic agents and radiation therapy

The ultimate goal of combining chemotherapy and radiotherapy is to improve the therapeutic ratio. When chemotherapy is combined with radiotherapy, improved therapeutic effects may occur as a result of the following: (1) spatial cooperation; (2) enhancement of tumor response with less or no enhancement of normal tissue injury, and (3) diminution of normal tissue injury with less or no diminution of tumor response. Possible mechanisms of...