Radiotherapy in preclinical animal models

Radiotherapy in preclinical animal models

Guest Edited by Dr Kirsten Lauber.

Radiotherapy is a central element of multimodal cancer treatment, which has experienced tremendous advancements in the recent years and decades. As such, the implementation of new imaging modalities, the improvement of treatment planning algorithms, the development of image-guidance techniques for dose administration, and the advent of new irradiation qualities have transformed radiotherapy into a versatile tool of high precision radiosurgery. In addition, biologically and immunologically motivated strategies to improve the radiotherapeutic outcome are leading to a constantly increasing number of novel combined-modality treatment approaches with molecularly targeted agents.

In order to evaluate the potential for clinical translation of these advancements, careful preclinical testing in appropriate models is absolutely indispensable.

The aim of this article collection is to introduce our readers to recent developments in preclinical radiotherapy, to present achievements as well as future challenges, and to discuss limitations. If you would like to submit to the series, please send a pre-submission enquiry to the editorial office: radiationoncology@biomedcentral.com.