Low doses of radiation promote cancer-capable cells

(Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute) Low doses of radiation equivalent to three CT scans, which are considered safe, give cancer-capable cells a competitive advantage over normal cells. Researchers studied the effects of low doses of radiation in mice and found it increases the number of cells with mutations in p53, a well-known genetic change associated with cancer. However, giving the mice an antioxidant before radiation promoted the growth of healthy cells, which outcompeted and replaced the p53 mutant cells.
Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: news