Pitt Researchers Identify Gene That Influences Damage From Radiation Therapy

Researchers with the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) have identified a gene that may play a role in promoting radiation-induced intestinal damage. The research, published by Cell Press in the June issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell, could lead to new strategies for protecting normal tissues from radiation during cancer treatment.

Although radiation is one of the most effective treatments for cancer, damage to cells lining the gastrointestinal tract is a major limiting factor for patients undergoing pelvic or abdominal radiotherapy. The specific mechanisms that underlie radiation-induced gastrointestinal toxicity, known as gastrointestinal (GI) syndrome, are not well understood. Previous studies have suggested that damage to intestinal stem cells or blood vessel cells, which are called endothelial cells, may be involved in the development of GI syndrome.

source: Medical News Today