Radiation-Induced Cardiovascular Disease: Mechanisms and Importance of Linear Energy Transfer

Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine

K. Jane Grande-Allen¹  Jun-ichi Abe²  Christopher B. Sylvester³  Zarana S. Patel⁴ 

[1] Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States;Department of Cardiology, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States;Medical Scientist Training Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States;Science and Space Operations, KBRwyle, Houston, TX, United States;

关键词: cardiovascular disease;    radiation;    cancer;    charged particle;    linear energy transfer;    chronic inflammation;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fcvm.2018.00005

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Radiation therapy (RT) in the form of photons and protons is a well-established treatment for cancer. More recently, heavy charged particles have been used to treat radioresistant and high-risk cancers. Radiation treatment is known to cause cardiovascular disease (CVD) which can occur acutely during treatment or years afterward in the form of accelerated atherosclerosis. Radiation-induced cardiovascular disease (RICVD) can be a limiting factor in treatment as well as a cause of morbidity and mortality in successfully treated patients. Inflammation plays a key role in both acute and chronic RICVD, but the underling pathophysiology is complex, involving DNA damage, reactive oxygen species, and chronic inflammation. While understanding of the molecular mechanisms of RICVD has increased, the growing number of patients receiving RT warrants further research to identify individuals at risk, plans for prevention, and targets for the treatment of RICVD. Research on RICVD is also relevant to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) due to the prevalent space radiation environment encountered by astronauts. NASA’s current research on RICVD can both contribute to and benefit from concurrent work with cell and animal studies informing radiotoxicities resulting from cancer therapy. This review summarizes the types of radiation currently in clinical use, models of RICVD, current knowledge of the mechanisms by which they cause CVD, and how this knowledge might apply to those exposed to various types of radiation.

【 授权许可】

Unknown