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WORKSHOP REPORT: MOLECULAR & CELLULAR BIOLOGY OF MODERATE DOSE (1-10 GY) RADIATION & POTENTIAL MECHANISMS OF RADIATION PROTECTION
Citation:
Preston, R J. WORKSHOP REPORT: MOLECULAR & CELLULAR BIOLOGY OF MODERATE DOSE (1-10 GY) RADIATION & POTENTIAL MECHANISMS OF RADIATION PROTECTION. RADIATION RESEARCH 159(6):812-834, (2003).
Description:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Normal tissue response and injury after exposure to ionizing radiation are of great importance to patients with cancer, populations potentially subjected to military, accidental or intentional exposure including bioterrorism, and workers in the nuclear power industry. In these situations exposure is likely to include the moderate radiation dose range (1 - 10 Gy). Exposure of limited tissue volumes to higher doses during cancer treatment has been the subject of research by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) which has also supported research into fundamental radiobiology, DNA damage and repair and epidemiology of people exposed to ionizing radiation. Exposure to low radiation doses such as that from nuclear fallout has been of interest to the Department of Energy (DOE) and exposure of astronauts to cosmic irradiation has been studied by NASA. Protection of members of the armed forces against intentional exposure has been studied by the Department of Defense (DOD) and Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute (AFRRI). Given the wide range of expertise involved, an interdisciplinary scientific workshop was convened to address the recent scientific progress in molecular, cellular and whole animal radiobiology, biodosimetry, and current and future treatments to prevent or ameliorate radiation damage to normal tissues. This workshop focused on these topics as they pertain to moderate doses defined as 1- 10 Gy , a range that was not the topic of recent scientific workshops on low dose radiation and radiation oncology. The broad term "radioprotectors" was used to include chemical and/or biological treatments that might be administered before or after exposure.
Understanding the molecular, cellular and tissue changes that can result from moderate dose radiation exposure necessitates input from experts in a number of fields including radiation biology, wound healing and clinical medicine. The development of radioprotector strategies for a single radiation exposure will differ from that for radiation oncology in which treatment is delivered over the course of several days (in brachytherapy) or several weeks (in conventional external-beam radiotherapy), a notable exception being the short course for total body irradiation for immunosuppression and transplantation. Additionally, in cancer treatment, the radioprotector should not protect the tumor cells from radiation-induced killing to an appreciable extent. Treatment of populations exposed to a single radiation dose requires accurate and rapid biodosimetry to determine an individual's exposure level and risk for morbidity and mortality as a result of the exposure, and the availability of appropriate therapeutic agents/strategies and expertise in treatment.
The goals of the interdisciplinary workshop were to define the current state-of-the-science and research opportunities. The conclusions are those of the workshop participants and not those of the individual agencies. The following are the highlights with additional detail provided at the end of the Report.