[Blood DNA Radiosensitivity May Be Predictive Marker for Efficacy of Radiation Therapy in Glioma Tumorbearing...

Animal and clinical studies were conducted to evaluate the association between the blood DNA radiosensitivity, assessed by determining the original S-index ex vivo, and the response of gliomas to irradiation in vivo. Possible modifications of the latter after administration of iron-containing water (ICW) in rats were also explored. The study was performed on the rats with subcutaneously implanted experimental glioma-35. The tumors were locally X-irradiated with a single 15 Gy dose as a radiation therapy (RT). ICW (60-63 mg · Fe 2+/l) was administered as a drinking water for 3 days before treatment. The animals underwent blood sampling for analysis of the DNA concentration and leukocyte count. The DNA index was estimated 24 h after RT. The S-index was evaluated within 4 h before RT. The mean initial S-index in the blood samples of glioma-bearing rats was 0.73 ± 0.05. Addition of ICW ex vivo resulted in a significantly increased S-index in a half of the samples. In general, the irradiated rats, which had been given pretreatment with ICW and demonstrated an ex vivo increase of the S-index to > 1.0, showed the most marked inhibition of tumor progression and the smallest tumor volume 25 days after irradiation. They also exhibited the lowest rate of growth and the longest survival. Determination of the biochemical S-index and evaluation of its changes ex vivo caused by ICW may be predictive of the response of experimental glioma to irradiation with radiomodification. The S-index may serve as a predictive indicator in clinic of the efficient evaluation of RT in patients with glioma.