Modern radiation therapy techniques for pancreatic cancer.

Radiation therapy is a rapidly evolving field, and recent technical advances have spurred an increasing number of new treatments as well as marked improvements in previously existing treatments. Despite a growing body of published evidence demonstrating that radiotherapy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer is improving in efficacy and safety, the ultimate effect on patient outcomes remains to be seen. It is an unfortunate fact that the majority of pancreatic cancer patients will ultimately have metastases and succumb to distant disease. Thus, improvements in local tumor control engendered by these recent advances will have little impact on overall survival without the coincident development of better systemic treatment regimens.