Author(s): Angus Killean, Iain Phillips, William Nailon, Duncan McLaren

Hospital: Edinburgh Cancer Centre, University of Edinburgh

Reference: RAD Magazine, 48, 564, 23-24

Excerpt: 

The treatment of cancer with systemic therapy is increasingly personalised to the patient, with drug regimens chosen based on the genetic and molecular profile of the tumour. In comparison, radiotherapy treatment is rarely individualised to the patient, with doses and fractionation schedules based on those used in clinical trials, despite it being known that tumour response and rates of normal tissue complications vary between individuals. There is a clear need for clinical biomarkers that may help predict response and thus tailor a patient’s dosing regimen. Currently, no clinically validated radiosensitivity biomarkers have been adopted into routine practice.