Death of a significant proportion of cancer cells within the entire tumour
Death of cancer at the edge of the tumour that will not be apparent to the naked eye (e.g. at the time of surgery)
Ability to compress tumours (which may serve to alleviate mass effect; or it may be performed before treatment, to move those patients from unresectable to resectable status)
Relative protection for the patient (radiation can be administered from outside of the body and concentrated on the tumour, is painless, and usually does not require anaesthesia)
Synergy with systemic therapy(i.e. the potential to kill more cells together than any therapy could do alone)
Organ protection (e.g. not removing a breast, larynx, or part of the gastrointestinal tract, which would have substantial negative effects on a patient's quality of life
Possible activation of an immune response against the tumour
Damage to underlying tissues ( e.g. lung, heart), depending on how close the region of interest is situated to the tumour
Inability to kill tumour cells that cannot be seen on imaging scans and are therefore not always included on the 3D models ( e.g. in nearby lymph nodes; metastatic disease) of radiation planning
Inability to destroy all cancer cells in tumours (this is true in especially large tumours)
Inability to alleviate mass effect ( i.e. the pressing of the tumour on underlying normal structures) in some areas of the body (e.g. brain), thus requiring surgery
Poor killing of cancer cells in areas that do not have a sufficient supply of oxygen (e.g. in an area following surgery; in a limb with low blood supply)
Increased occurrence of wound infection and poor healing (e.g. if Surgery is used after radiation; or in sections without sufficient circulation)
The inconvenience of Radiation therapy ( e.g. in some cases it must be delivered daily, 5 days per week, for 1-2 months)
Contraindications of Radiation therapy ( e.g. prior exposure; other medical disorders)
