Is radiotherapy still an effective cancer treatment?

Alongside surgery and chemotherapy, radiotherapy remains a common treatment for cancer in the 21st century. Despite its first recorded use being back in 1896, radiotherapy continues to benefit millions globally each year. Its perceived ‘old fashioned status’ belies the rapid advancements making it a more effective cancer treatment with fewer side effects.?

Our role in the development of radiotherapy?

Cancer Research UK (CRUK) has been pivotal in evolving radiotherapy. Our research laid the foundations for modern radiotherapy in the 1900s. From making radiotherapy more targeted to combining it with other treatments and reducing the number of doses needed, our scientists have changed clinical practice worldwide.?

Year by year, we’re improving radiotherapy to save and improve the lives of more people with cancer now and in the future. We’re working across boundaries and disciplines to bring the latest scientific advances to radiotherapy research, going beyond what any individual could achieve alone.??

Kinder, more effective treatments?

One exciting area is the development of proton beam therapy, which uses protons instead of traditional X-rays. This method targets cancer cells while sparing nearby healthy cells.?

In Manchester, David Thomson and his team are leading two large-scale trials, TORPEdO and PROTIS, to test if this type of radiotherapy offers a kinder and more effective treatment option for people with head and neck cancer. Currently, people with these cancers are treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in combination with chemotherapy, but IMRT can cause unpleasant side effects. The result of these ongoing Phase 3 trials could inform clinical practice and shape future treatment standards.?

In London, Dr Maria Hawkins and her team at 英国伦敦大学学院 are using data to improve how we use radiotherapy to treat children with brain tumours. By mapping sensitive areas of the brain, they aim to develop personalised therapies that minimise long term side effects.?

A dedicated radiation research network?

Our RadNet network, with seven centres of excellence, tackles major challenges in radiobiology and radiation oncology. We’ve invested over ￡43m since its launch in 2019 and committed an additional ￡24m for the next five years.?

At the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute , researchers are developing FLASH radiotherapy, which delivers high doses in fractions of a second, sparing healthy cells. A mystery that Karen Kirkby and her team are working to solve.?

From using AI research to guide radiotherapy to investigating how socioeconomic factors affect radiotherapy outcomes, our researchers are at the forefront of innovation.?

We’re dedicated to advancing radiotherapy and other cancer treatments to ensure the best possible outcomes for every cancer patient. Cancer is the defining health issue of our time, and we’re committed to meeting this challenge head-on.?