Recent advances in combined modality therapy.

Abstract

Combined modality therapy emerged from preclinical data showing that carefully chosen drugs could enhance the sensitivity of tumor cells to radiation while having nonoverlapping toxicities. Recent advances in molecular biology involving the identification of cellular receptors, enzymes, and pathways involved in tumor growth and immortality have resulted in the development of biologically targeted drugs. This review highlights the recent clinical data in support of newer generation cytotoxic chemotherapies and systemic targeted agents in combination with radiation therapy.