Personalized Radiation Attenuating Materials for Gastrointestinal Mucosal Protection

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Radiology

Background:

• Therapeutic radiation for cancer frequently causes adjacent gastrointestinal (GI) tract mucosa injury.
• Protecting critical GI structures like the rectum and oral mucosa from radiation damage is crucial for patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate personalized 3D-printed radioprotective devices for reducing GI radiation toxicity.
• To assess the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of these devices in preclinical and clinical models.

Main Methods:

• Generating patient-specific 3D-printed radioprotective devices from CT scans using high-Z materials.
• Evaluating device efficacy in a rat radiation proctitis model and confirming optimal placement in a swine model.
• Performing dosimetric modeling in oral cavity and prostate cancer patients to quantify radiation dose reduction.

Main Results:

• A significant reduction in crypt injury was observed in the rat model (p < 0.0087).
• Dosimetric modeling showed a 30% radiation dose reduction to buccal mucosa and 15.2% to the rectum.
• The rectal radioprotectant device was found to be more cost-effective than a hydrogel rectal spacer.

Conclusions:

• Personalized radioprotective devices show promise in mitigating GI tissue injury during therapeutic radiation.
• These devices represent a novel approach to improve patient quality of life during cancer treatment.
• Further clinical implementation of these devices could enhance radiation therapy safety and efficacy.