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Low‐dose radiation may be a novel approach to enhance the effectiveness of cancer therapeutics
Author(s) -
Yang Guozi,
Li Wei,
Jiang Hongyu,
Liang Xinyue,
Zhao Yuguang,
Yu Dehai,
Zhou Lei,
Wang Guanjun,
Tian Huimin,
Han Fujun,
Cai Lu,
Cui Jiuwei
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.30235
Subject(s) - ionizing radiation , cancer , medicine , concordance , radiation therapy , cancer research , cancer cell , low dose radiation , biological effect , bioinformatics , pharmacology , oncology , biology , irradiation , physics , nuclear physics
It has been generally accepted that both natural and man‐made sources of ionizing radiation contribute to human exposure and consequently pose a possible risk to human health. However, accumulating evidence has shown that the biological effects of low‐dose radiation (LDR) are different from those of high‐dose radiation. LDR can stimulate proliferation of normal cells and activate their defense systems, while these biological effects are not observed in some cancer cell types. Although there is still no concordance on this matter, the fact that LDR has the potential to enhance the effects of cancer therapeutics and reduce the toxic side effects of anti‐cancer therapy has garnered significant interest. Here, we provide an overview of the current knowledge regarding the experimental data detailing the different responses of normal and cancer tissues to LDR, the underlying mechanisms, and its significance in clinical application.