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Modification of the response to radiation

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

In tissues exposed to radiation curves can be drawn of damage versus dose. Tumours and normal tissues have different curves such that a dose which causes 90% tumour damage only damages 60% of normal tissue. The aim of radiobiology is to separate the curves.

The following strategies are employed to modify the damage:

  • radiosensitisers
  • radioprotectors
  • dose rate - higher the better the killing
  • dose fractionation
  • treatment of irradiated fields

Thus:

  • repair of sublethal damage
  • reassortment of cells within the cell cycle
  • repopulation - if overall time is sufficiently long
  • reoxygenation

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