Final answer:
The statement is true; roughly half of all cancer patients receive radiotherapy as part of their treatment regime. Radiotherapy capitalizes on the sensitivity of rapidly dividing cancer cells to radiation to maximize the therapeutic ratio, using advanced techniques to focus the treatment on the cancer while sparing healthy tissue.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that 'about 50% of patients with cancer are treated with radiotherapy' is True. Radiotherapy is a common treatment option for cancer, employing the principle that cancer cells, which divide rapidly, are more susceptible to radiation compared to normal cells.
To optimize treatment effectiveness while minimizing harm to healthy tissue, sophisticated techniques such as geometrical targeting and various delivery methods, including external beam radiation and brachytherapy, are utilized. These approaches concentrate the radiation dose in the tumor, thereby maximizing the therapeutic ratio - the rate of abnormal cells killed to normal cells affected.
Additionally, treatments are often spread out over time to allow healthy tissue to repair, varying according to the type of cancer and patient response. While radiotherapy is not universally curative, particularly in sensitive tissues like lung tissue, it can be instrumental in symptom relief and life prolongation.