Radiation Oncology

Cancer treatments are advancing at an astounding pace, with newer therapies providing better outcomes, longer life, and greater chance for cure. Radiation therapy uses carefully targeted doses of high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells without damaging the surrounding healthy tissue. The goal is to use high-dose X-rays to remove the cancer, keep it from spreading, or improve patients’ quality of life by relieving pain and other symptoms.

Radiation therapy plays an essential role in the treatment of many cancers and innovations in radiation treatments have similarly led to improved outcomes in both survival and quality of life.

In this series, UCSF radiation oncologists explore the latest advances in the science, technology, and treatment of cancer using modern radiation therapy.

Browse more programs in Innovations In Cancer Treatment: Radiation Therapy in the Modern Era.

Imaging Studies: A Revealing Look

Research imaging studies are crucial to finding effective treatments and therapies. Protocols are in place to protect both the study participant and the science, but what if the images reveal a previously unknown condition? Or a false positive or negative? Unraveling this question is more than a simple task and the consequences can range from unnecessary worry to wrong treatment decisions.

Kathryn Fowler, MD, Associate Professor of Clinical Radiology, walks you through how studies are designed to avoid this scenario and the ethics of patients and physicians being made aware of research results if they are not verifiably accurate.

Watch — If Researchers Find a Tumor, Should They Tell You? – Exploring Ethics