What is Radiotherapy

With more than half of all cancer cases occurring in less developed nations of the world, cancer is a source of significant and growing mortality worldwide, with an increase to 19.3 million new cancer cases per year projected for 2025. Standard current treatments for cancer include surgery, radiotherapy, and a host of other systemic treatments comprising cytotoxic chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapies. Referred to as the “guardian of the genome,” the alteration or inactivation of p53 tumour-suppressor gene by mutation or by its interactions with oncogene products or DNA tumour viruses can lead to cancer. The p53 is mutated in about half of almost all types of cancer arising from a wide spectrum of tissues. This chapter focuses on several types of cancer including breast and ovarian, colorectal, small cell lung carcinoma, malignant melanoma, pancreatic, prostate, neurofibromatosis, multiple endocrine neoplasia, and retinoblastoma.