Towards Personalized Radiotherapy in Pelvic Cancer: Patient-Related Risk Factors for Late Radiation Toxicity
Normal tissue reactions vary significantly among patients receiving the same radiation treatment regimen, reflecting the multifactorial etiology of late radiation toxicity. Predicting late radiation toxicity is crucial, as it aids in the initial decision-making process regarding the treatment modali...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Current Oncology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/32/1/47 |
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| author | Anna C. Nuijens Arlene L. Oei Nicolaas A. P. Franken Coen R. N. Rasch Lukas J. A. Stalpers |
| author_facet | Anna C. Nuijens Arlene L. Oei Nicolaas A. P. Franken Coen R. N. Rasch Lukas J. A. Stalpers |
| author_sort | Anna C. Nuijens |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Normal tissue reactions vary significantly among patients receiving the same radiation treatment regimen, reflecting the multifactorial etiology of late radiation toxicity. Predicting late radiation toxicity is crucial, as it aids in the initial decision-making process regarding the treatment modalities. For patients undergoing radiotherapy, anticipating late toxicity allows for planning adjustments to optimize individualized care. Various dosimetric parameters have been shown to influence the incidence of late toxicity, and the literature available on this topic is extensive. This narrative review examines patient-related determinants of late toxicity following external beam radiotherapy for pelvic tumors, with a focus on prostate and cervical cancer patients. In Part I, we address various methods for quantifying radiation toxicity, providing context for interpreting toxicity data. Part II examines the current insights into the clinical risk factors for late toxicity. While certain factors—such as previous abdominal surgery, smoking behavior, and severe acute toxicity—have consistently been reported, most of the others show inconsistent associations. In Part III, we explore the influence of genetic factors and discuss promising predictive assays. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) likely elevate the risk in specific combinations. Advances in artificial intelligence now allow for the identification of SNP patterns from large datasets, supporting the development of polygenic risk scores. These innovations hold promise for improving personalized treatment strategies and reducing the burden of late toxicity in cancer survivors. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d8456b80dea24096acb0e41c756146d1 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1198-0052 1718-7729 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Oncology |
| spelling | doaj-art-d8456b80dea24096acb0e41c756146d12025-01-24T13:28:29ZengMDPI AGCurrent Oncology1198-00521718-77292025-01-013214710.3390/curroncol32010047Towards Personalized Radiotherapy in Pelvic Cancer: Patient-Related Risk Factors for Late Radiation ToxicityAnna C. Nuijens0Arlene L. Oei1Nicolaas A. P. Franken2Coen R. N. Rasch3Lukas J. A. Stalpers4Department of Radiation Oncology, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef, 2333 ZA Leiden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The NetherlandsNormal tissue reactions vary significantly among patients receiving the same radiation treatment regimen, reflecting the multifactorial etiology of late radiation toxicity. Predicting late radiation toxicity is crucial, as it aids in the initial decision-making process regarding the treatment modalities. For patients undergoing radiotherapy, anticipating late toxicity allows for planning adjustments to optimize individualized care. Various dosimetric parameters have been shown to influence the incidence of late toxicity, and the literature available on this topic is extensive. This narrative review examines patient-related determinants of late toxicity following external beam radiotherapy for pelvic tumors, with a focus on prostate and cervical cancer patients. In Part I, we address various methods for quantifying radiation toxicity, providing context for interpreting toxicity data. Part II examines the current insights into the clinical risk factors for late toxicity. While certain factors—such as previous abdominal surgery, smoking behavior, and severe acute toxicity—have consistently been reported, most of the others show inconsistent associations. In Part III, we explore the influence of genetic factors and discuss promising predictive assays. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) likely elevate the risk in specific combinations. Advances in artificial intelligence now allow for the identification of SNP patterns from large datasets, supporting the development of polygenic risk scores. These innovations hold promise for improving personalized treatment strategies and reducing the burden of late toxicity in cancer survivors.https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/32/1/47external beam radiotherapylate radiation toxicityquality of lifegenetic predispositionbiomarkerspredictive factors |
| spellingShingle | Anna C. Nuijens Arlene L. Oei Nicolaas A. P. Franken Coen R. N. Rasch Lukas J. A. Stalpers Towards Personalized Radiotherapy in Pelvic Cancer: Patient-Related Risk Factors for Late Radiation Toxicity Current Oncology external beam radiotherapy late radiation toxicity quality of life genetic predisposition biomarkers predictive factors |
| title | Towards Personalized Radiotherapy in Pelvic Cancer: Patient-Related Risk Factors for Late Radiation Toxicity |
| title_full | Towards Personalized Radiotherapy in Pelvic Cancer: Patient-Related Risk Factors for Late Radiation Toxicity |
| title_fullStr | Towards Personalized Radiotherapy in Pelvic Cancer: Patient-Related Risk Factors for Late Radiation Toxicity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Towards Personalized Radiotherapy in Pelvic Cancer: Patient-Related Risk Factors for Late Radiation Toxicity |
| title_short | Towards Personalized Radiotherapy in Pelvic Cancer: Patient-Related Risk Factors for Late Radiation Toxicity |
| title_sort | towards personalized radiotherapy in pelvic cancer patient related risk factors for late radiation toxicity |
| topic | external beam radiotherapy late radiation toxicity quality of life genetic predisposition biomarkers predictive factors |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/32/1/47 |
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