Utilization of intensity-modulated radiation therapy and image-guided radiation therapy in pancreatic cancer: is it beneficial?

The recent development of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and improvements in image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) have provided considerable advances in the utilization of radiation therapy (RT) for the management of pancreatic cancer. IGRT allows for the reduction of treatment volumes, potentially less chance of a marginal miss, and quality assurance of gastrointestinal filling, while IMRT has been shown to reduce both sudden and late side effects compared with 3-dimensional conformal RT. Here, we review published data and provide essential recommendations on the utilization of IMRT and IGRT for the management of patients with pancreatic cancer.