Effects of Radiotherapy in Normal Tissue

Radiotherapy is a key foundation of oncologic treatment that is used across the spectrum of cancer indications. Advances in imaging, treatment planning, and dose delivery have led to increasingly conformal and even ablative treatments, which have resulted in improved tumor control with no increase in the risk of side effects (or with a decrease in risk) as compared with previous treatments. These advances have facilitated the combined use of radiotherapy with efficacious systemic therapies, including targeted treatments and immunotherapies. Radiation-induced changes in normal tissue occur as a result of stem-cell senescence, inflammation, vascular changes, fibroblast activation, and loss of parenchymal cells. Research into the biologic underpinnings of radiation-induced changes in normal tissue, biomarkers of side effects of various irradiation regimens, and new treatment methods offers great promise for further increasing the efficacy of radiotherapy and improving the side-effect profile through personalized approaches.