The challenges of radiotherapy

The radiotherapy stands an unique place among the medical treatments. It contributes to the treatment of more than half of cancers, when cancer reaches 30% of men and 25% of women. the radiotherapy is an efficient method because 80% of the patients treated are cured by this treatment. The accidents of Toulouse and Epinal showed that human and organisational errors are still possible, the consequences are serious for the patients. It was observed that 5% of patients treated by radiotherapy present serious side effects, without any error of dose of irradiated volume that could be in relation with an individual radiosensitivity. The new techniques allow to increase the doses so the radiation protection of patients must progress in the same way. (N.C.)