Radiation oncology

Radiation oncology is a place where people go after the pathologist has called it cancer.

Dose

• Measure with several units.

Gray

• Abbreviated Gy.
• Energy/mass.

$1\ \mathrm {Gy} =1\ {\frac {\mathrm {J} }{\mathrm {kg} }}=1\ \mathrm {m} ^{2}\cdot \mathrm {s} ^{-2}$

Sievert

• Abbreviated Sv.
• "Biologic effect"/mass.

$Sv=X\cdot dose$

Where:

• X = fiddle factor for type of tissue and type of radiation.
• dose = dose in Gray.

Typical total dose

• Solid tumours ~ 60 to 80 Gy.
• Lymphoma ~ 20 to 40 Gy.

Biology

• DNA damage is thought to depend on reactive oxygen species.
  • Therefore, poorly oxygenated and poorly vascularized tissues are less sensitive to radiation exposures/treatments.

See also

• Oncology.