Lung cancer represents a predominant cause of cancer mortality in the United States, despite significant improvements in patient outcomes over recent decades. The five-year relative survival rate has gradually increased, thanks to advancements in diagnostic and treatment technologies, including screening, staging, surgery, systemic therapies (chemotherapy and immunotherapy), and radiation therapy. Radiotherapy (RT), uniquely essential in all cancer stages, has evolved with innovations like Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT), which offers a viable option for patients with early-stage inoperable lung cancer. The integration of RT with chemotherapy and emerging modalities like immunotherapy has opened new avenues for enhancing survival and managing locally advanced cases. However, the challenge of radiation-induced toxicity remains a significant concern, impacting organs like the lungs, heart, and esophagus, which can severely affect treatment outcomes and patient quality of life.

This Research Topic is dedicated to exploring the latest strategies and innovations aimed at minimizing radiation-induced toxicity in the treatment of thoracic malignancies. By collating insights on dose-response relationships, predictive modeling, and advanced imaging techniques, this issue aims to advance our understanding of how to better predict, assess, and mitigate the negative effects of radiotherapy. The aim is to share knowledge that could facilitate the development of personalized, safer treatment protocols that maintain therapeutic efficacy while limiting adverse effects.

We invite submissions of original research, clinical trials, and meta-analyses that contribute to the body of knowledge on reducing toxicity associated with radiation therapy in thoracic cancers. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

- Development and application of dose-response or predictive models for acute and late radiation toxicity.
- Utilization of functional imaging technologies like PET/CT and MRI to create biomarkers for outcome prediction and toxicity assessment.
- Innovations in radiation techniques to accommodate patient movement and respiratory cycles.
- Exploration of revolutionary approaches such as FLASH or Grid radiotherapy and particle therapy.
- Incorporation of genomic data into radiation dosing to enhance treatment customization.
- Contributions should aim to push the boundaries of current practices and provide insights that could lead to significant improvements in treating lung and other thoracic cancers with radiotherapy.

Please note: Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this section and will not be accepted as part of this Research Topic.

Please note the following conflict of interest disclosure:
Mohammad Rezaee - Loyalty from Xstrahl Inc for the SARRP-FLASH system.

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Frontiers in Oncology

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