Radiation injuries of organs and tissues: mechanisms of occurrence, methods of prevention and treatment: A review

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Abstract

In modern medicine, radiation therapy (RT) is one of the main therapies for cancer. According to the World Health Organization, about 70% of patients diagnosed with cancer require RT at some stage of treatment. Development and improvement of methods for early diagnosis of cancers, multimodal therapy for cancer patients, including surgical intervention, new drug treatment regimens, modern methods of conformal 3D-RT and proton therapy significantly improved the treatment outcomes of patients and increased their life expectancy. Modern RT is a high-tech chain of sequential use of complex technical devices and mathematical calculations to destroy the tumor without adversely affecting the surrounding normal tissues. Some patients develop radiation injuries to normal organs and tissues that reduce their quality of life. Prevention and treatment of such injuries are urgent problems of modern oncology. The article addresses the pathogenesis and mechanism of the development of systemic and local radiation responses, as well as methods of treatment and prevention of some of them. Three electronic databases, including PubMed, Cochrane and EMBASE, and Russian radiotherapists' publications, were used for systematic review in the information retrieval process.

About the authors

Daiana A. Balaeva

Russian University of Medicine; Central Clinical Hospital “Russian Railways-Medicine”

Author for correspondence.
Email: daianakhlanta@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-9106-5277

Assistant, Russian University of Medicine, Central Clinical Hospital “Russian Railways-Medicine”

Russian Federation, Moscow; Moscow

Denis S. Romanov

Russian University of Medicine; Central Clinical Hospital “Russian Railways-Medicine”; Center for Innovative Medical Technologies

Email: romanovronc@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3942-4102

Cand. Sci. (Med.), Russian University of Medicine, Central Clinical Hospital “Russian Railways-Medicine”, Center for Innovative Medical Technologies

Russian Federation, Moscow; Moscow; Moscow

Oxana P. Trofimova

Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education; Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology

Email: daianakhlanta@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-7204-370X

D. Sci. (Med.), Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education, Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology

Russian Federation, Moscow; Moscow

Zarina Z. Gadzhibabaeva

Russian University of Medicine

Email: daianakhlanta@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0009-0006-5243-7142

Resident, Russian University of Medicine

Russian Federation, Moscow

Yury Yu. Gorchak

Russian University of Medicine

Email: daianakhlanta@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4818-0093

Cand. Sci. (Med.)

Russian Federation, Moscow

Garia A. Gariaev

Central Clinical Hospital “Russian Railways-Medicine”

Email: daianakhlanta@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0009-0004-7743-7355

radiotherapist

Russian Federation, Moscow

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