Radiologists need to take their place as central members of cancer teams for patients, especially as oncologists are increasingly using combinations of cytotoxic agents, molecular-targeted therapies, and immune checkpoint inhibitors to manage cancer, according to a study published in the July issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.
Combinations of drug classes may intensify toxicity, and radiologists need to educate themselves on using imaging findings to track this, wrote a team led by Dr. Stephanie Holler Howard at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (AJR, July 2016, Vol. 207:1, pp. 4-14).
"Radiologists must understand the language and multifaceted nuances of toxicity to contribute to optimized care of cancer patients and remain relevant, effective members of the oncologic team," Howard said in a statement released by the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS).
