Radiation therapy (RT), either alone or in combination with chemotherapy or surgery, is one of the most common treatment options for people with cancer.

Nearly two-thirds of patients with cancer in the United States receive radiation therapy during their illness.

To support clinical decision-making around the use of radiation therapy in patients with cancer, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) today launched the NCCN Radiation Therapy Compendium during their 22nd Annual Conference.

The RT recommendations contained in the Compendium are derived directly from the library of NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines), which document evidence-based, consensus-driven management to ensure that all patients receive care most likely to lead to optimal outcomes.

“NCCN is proud to introduce the NCCN Radiation Therapy Compendium—the latest addition to the library of NCCN Guidelines derivative resources,” said Robert W. Carlson, MD, Chief Executive Officer, NCCN. “As a single source for all radiation therapy recommendations within the NCCN Guidelines, the Compendium benefits patients with cancer by assisting providers and payers in making evidence-based treatment and coverage decisions.”

The Compendium provides guidance on all RT modalities recommended within the NCCN Guidelines, including intensity-modulated radiation therapy, stereotactic body radiotherapy and image guided radiotherapy.

Transparency of NCCN Guidelines and Compendia development is central to the philosophy, policies, and procedures of NCCN.

NCCN posts the policies and processes for developing and maintaining the NCCN Guidelines.

These policies are available to the public on the NCCN website.

Identification of newly published research, NCCN Member Institution review, external stakeholder submissions, and panel review occur on an ongoing basis with at least annual review performed for NCCN Guidelines for each disease.

The NCCN Guidelines are the recognised standard for clinical policy in cancer care and are the most thorough and most frequently updated clinical practice guidelines available in any area of medicine. Other NCCN Guidelines derivative products include:

• NCCN Drugs & Biologics Compendium
• NCCN Biomarkers Compendium
• NCCN Chemotherapy Order Templates
• NCCN Imaging Appropriate Use Criteria