International Journal of Clinical Case Reports 2024, Vol.14, No.5, 290-298 http://medscipublisher.com/index.php/ijccr 290 Research Insight Open Access Radiotherapy Innovations in Lung Cancer: Clinical Evidence and Future Prospects Hai Huang The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejian Guniversity School of Medncine, Hangzhou, 310009, Zhejiang, China Corresponding email: Huanghai@qq.com International Journal of Clinical Case Reports 2024, Vol.14, No.5 doi: 10.5376/ijccr.2024.14.0029 Received: 17 Aug., 2024 Accepted: 25 Sep., 2024 Published: 29 Oct., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Huang, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Huang H., 2024, Radiotherapy innovations in lung cancer: clinical evidence and future prospects, International Journal of Clinical Case Reports, 14(5): 290-298 (doi: 10.5376/ijccr.2024.14.0029) Abstract The report explores the latest advancements in the field of lung cancer radiotherapy, focusing on cutting-edge technologies and their clinical significance. It discusses the development of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), and proton therapy, highlighting their effectiveness in improving tumor control rates while reducing toxicity. Emerging technologies, such as FLASH radiotherapy, are also mentioned, demonstrating their potential to further revolutionize treatment by minimizing damage to healthy tissues. The integration of radiotherapy with systemic therapies, including immunotherapy, has shown synergistic effects, enhancing both local and systemic tumor control. Personalized radiotherapy, based on biomarkers and genomic analysis, is emphasized, showcasing the potential to tailor treatments according to individual patient and tumor characteristics. The report also addresses challenges related to accessibility and cost-effectiveness, particularly in resource-limited settings, and provides recommendations for future research to optimize clinical outcomes and expand access to innovative therapies. Keywords Radiotherapy innovations; Lung cancer; SBRT; FLASH radiotherapy; Personalized medicine 1 Introduction Lung cancer remains one of the most common and deadliest forms of cancer worldwide, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) being the predominant subtype. It is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally, and despite advancements in medical treatment, it still poses significant challenges. Radiotherapy plays a pivotal role in the treatment of lung cancer, particularly for patients with inoperable tumors, those in advanced stages, or those who refuse surgery. It is utilized for both curative and palliative purposes across all stages of the disease, significantly contributing to survival and quality of life improvements (Vinod and Hau, 2020). Conventional radiotherapy techniques have limitations, primarily due to their inability to precisely target tumors while sparing healthy tissue. This results in significant side effects such as radiation-induced damage to surrounding organs like the lungs and heart, leading to complications such as pneumonitis, cardiac disease, and other radiation toxicities. Additionally, local control of the disease is often inadequate in advanced-stage lung cancer, and survival rates remain suboptimal despite treatment (Ball et al., 2019). Other challenges include tumor heterogeneity and intrinsic resistance to radiotherapy, which contribute to relapse and metastasis. The current research explores innovations in radiotherapy techniques and their clinical applications to overcome the limitations of traditional methods. These innovative techniques include stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), and proton beam therapy (PBT), which hold the potential to improve tumor targeting, reduce toxicity, and enhance local control and survival rates. By integrating advanced imaging technologies, artificial intelligence, and personalized treatment approaches, the precision and effectiveness of radiotherapy can be increased, ultimately improving treatment outcomes for lung cancer patients (Fiorino et al., 2020). The primary objective of this study is to explore and evaluate innovations in radiotherapy, particularly how to overcome the limitations of conventional radiotherapy in the treatment of lung cancer. Traditional radiotherapy methods have limitations in terms of targeting precision and minimizing damage to healthy tissues, resulting in
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