Three discipline collaborative radiation therapy (3DCRT) special debate: The United States should build additional proton therapy facilities

Abstract

Radiation Oncology is a highly multidisciplinary medical specialty, drawing significantly from three scientific disciplines – medicine, physics, and biology. As a result, discussion of controversies or changes in practice within radiation oncology involves input from all three disciplines. For this reason, significant effort has been expended recently to foster collaborative multidisciplinary research in radiation oncology, with substantial demonstrated benefit. In light of these results, we endeavor here to adopt this “team‐science” approach to the traditional debates featured in this journal. This article represents the first in a series of special debates entitled “Three Discipline Collaborative Radiation Therapy (3DCRT)” in which each debate team will include a radiation oncologist, medical physicist, and radiobiologist. We hope that this format will not only be engaging for the readership but will also foster further collaboration in the science and clinical practice of radiation oncology.