Saving Normal Tissues - A Goal for the Ages.

CONCLUSIONS: Limiting the survey solely to articles appearing within International Journal of Radiation Biology likely reduced the number of translational studies interrogated given the basic science tenor of this particular publication. In addition, by taking 'snapshots' rather than considering the entire breadth of the journal's history in this field, important papers that were published during the interim periods were omitted, for which we apologize. Nonetheless, since the journal's inception, we observed that, during the chosen periods, the majority of studies undertaken in the field of normal tissue countermeasures, whether investigating radiation protectants, mitigators or treatments, have focused on agents that interfere with the physical, chemical and/or biological effects known to occur during the acute period following whole body/high single dose exposures. This relatively narrow approach to the reduction of normal tissue effects, especially those that can take months, if not years, to develop, seems to contradict our growing understanding of the progressive complexities of the microenvironmental disruption that follows the initial radiation injury. Given the analytical tools now at our disposal and the enormous benefits that may be reaped in terms of improving patient outcomes, as well as the potential for offering countermeasures to those affected by accidental or mass casualty exposures, it appears time to broaden our approaches to developing normal tissue counte...
Source: International Journal of Radiation Biology - Category: Radiology Tags: Int J Radiat Biol Source Type: research