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Targeting Cancer: The Evolving Science of Radiation Therapy
Subject area: Science,Engineering and Technology · Area of research: Radiation Therapy
Abstract
In 1896, a Chicago physician named Emil Grubbe suffered severe burns to his hand after experimenting with X rays, an accident that would unexpectedly pave the way for radiation therapy as a cancer treatment. Just a year earlier, Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen had discovered X rays, a breakthrough that transformed medical imaging. However, it was the observation of X rays' destructive effects on tissue that ignited interest in their potential to fight disease. This review explores the journey of radiation therapy, tracing its evolution from crude experiments in the late 19th century to its role today as a vital tool in modern oncology. Along the way, key milestones are highlighted, and how its effectiveness has grown is assessed. How technological leaps, from the early use of low-energy X rays to advanced precision methods, have broadened the types of cancers treatable and improved patient outcomes is examined.
How to cite this paper
@article{1708394,
author = {Michael Shiferaw},
title = {Targeting Cancer: The Evolving Science of Radiation Therapy},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2025},
volume = {8},
number = {11},
pages = {648-653},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1708394.pdf},
abstract = {In 1896, a Chicago physician named Emil Grubbe suffered severe burns to his hand after experimenting with X rays, an accident that would unexpectedly pave the way for radiation therapy as a cancer treatment. Just a year earlier, Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen had discovered X rays, a breakthrough that transformed medical imaging. However, it was the observation of X rays' destructive effects on tissue that ignited interest in their potential to fight disease. This review explores the journey of radiation therapy, tracing its evolution from crude experiments in the late 19th century to its role today as a vital tool in modern oncology. Along the way, key milestones are highlighted, and how its effectiveness has grown is assessed. How technological leaps, from the early use of low-energy X rays to advanced precision methods, have broadened the types of cancers treatable and improved patient outcomes is examined.},
month = {May},
}