Radiation oncology considerations

This chapter provides a brief overview of modern external beam radiation techniques and targets relevant to patients undergoing postoperative radiation after sentinel lymph node biopsy for gynecologic cancers, including vulvar, endometrial, and cervical cancers. It discusses the data available to inform decision making regarding adjuvant radiation for these disease sites. Pelvic nodes, including obturator, internal iliac, external iliac, presacral, and common iliac basins, are commonly included in radiation fields, given the propensity for gynecologic cancers to spread to lymph nodes in these regions. Radiation fields are designed to encompass all sites of primary drainage, including lymph nodes found at the junction between the external iliac, internal iliac, and common iliac vessels to the level of the common iliac bifurcations. Conformal radiation therapy refers to radiotherapy treatment designed to deliver high doses to areas of interest while minimizing doses to normal structures.