UCLA

Key PointsRadiotherapy needs a paradigm shift to include biological interventions that are tailored to radiation-related phenomenaDNA-repair mechanisms are obvious targets for interventions aimed at improving the radiotherapeutic benefitChromatin structure and nuclear architecture critically influence the dynamics and extent of DNA damage and repair, and thus the response to radiationCells exist along a wide spectrum of radiation responsiveness, with cancer stem cells generally being radioresistantRadiation therapy can be an antitumour immune adjuvant and new approaches to immunotherapy will offer the opportunity to exploit this interactionBiomarkers that are redox-related or immune-related might help evaluate the status of patients with cancer and provide insight into how best to combine radiotherapy with biological treatments in each individual