ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: One of the main limitations of radiation therapy is the resistance of tumor cells. This study aimed at evaluating the relationship between the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4-anaplastic lymphoma kinase (EML4-ALK) and tumor radiosensitivity in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. METHODS: Medical case files, pathological results for EGFR and EML4-ALK, and computerized tomography scans of patients with NSCLC treated with thoracic radiation therapy were analyzed. RESULTS: The sample size was 101 patients with mean age 58.43 ± 9.89 years. Statistically significant differences were observed in the mean reduction of long tumor diameter during the early treatment phase in EGFR-positive versus EGFR-negative patients (p value = 0.04) and in short tumor diameter during the late treatment phase in EGFR-positive versus EGFR-negative patients (p value = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Patients with overexpression of EGFR mutations are more radiosensitive during the early treatment phase, and EML4-ALK mutations were less radiosensitive regardless of phases.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung , Lung Neoplasms , Aged , Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase/genetics , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/genetics , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/pathology , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/radiotherapy , ErbB Receptors/genetics , Humans , Lung Neoplasms/genetics , Lung Neoplasms/pathology , Lung Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Microtubule-Associated Proteins/genetics , Middle Aged , Mutation , Oncogene Proteins, Fusion/geneticsABSTRACT
Radiotherapy is the ionizing radiation used for treatment of cancer and other diseases. Although radiotherapy is the major treatment for cancer, a lot of patients do not undergo radiation due to associated risks such as radiation pneumonitis, cardiovascular complications, development of secondary tumor, and lymphedema. However, the advantages of nanotechnology provide a unique potential to enhance radiotherapeutic performance, in particular by utilizing gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). In this review, we briefly describe the current direction of research towards the use of Au NPs for radiotherapeutic enhancement, combination, monitoring and in side effect reductions.
