Modification of the response to radiation
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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