Human individual radiation sensitivity and prospects for prediction.

Area of Science:

• Radiation biology
• Medical genetics
• Radiooncology

Background:

• Individual sensitivity to ionizing radiation is variable, affecting deterministic and stochastic effects.
• This variability is observed across different doses and non-cancer outcomes like cardiovascular disease.
• While rare hereditary syndromes explain some sensitivity, a polygenic model is more relevant for the general population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current evidence on inferring individual radiation sensitivity from cellular responses and genetic analyses.
• To focus on studies published since 2013 concerning late adverse tissue reactions after radiotherapy in sensitive groups.

Main Methods:

• Review of functional assays, candidate gene approaches, and genome-wide association studies.
• Analysis of late adverse tissue reactions in potentially radiation-sensitive patient groups.
• Focus on studies published from 2013 onwards.

Main Results:

• Evidence suggests that individual radiation sensitivity can be inferred from ex vivo cellular reactions and genotype analyses.
• Studies indicate a polygenic model for radiation sensitivity in the general population.
• Functional assays and genetic studies provide insights into varying risks of late adverse tissue reactions.

Conclusions:

• Individual differences in radiation sensitivity are significant and can be investigated through cellular and genetic methods.
• Understanding the genetic basis of radiation sensitivity is crucial for personalized risk assessment, particularly in radiotherapy.
• Further research integrating functional assays and genomic data is needed to fully elucidate radiation sensitivity.