[Intensity modulated radiation therapy].

The development and successful clinical use of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is a significant advance in radiation therapy. IMRT is particularly effective for cancers in complex anatomic regions such as the head and neck, and prostate, because the target volumes are contiguous to organs at risk. The success of IMRT strongly depends on the precise contouring of the target volumes and organs at risk. A significant benefit of IMRT with regard to xerostomia and quality of life has been reported for head and neck cancer. For prostate cancer, IMRT can deliver a high total dose of 76-80 Gy to the target volume without serious late toxicities.