The place and importance of hyaluronic acid in radiotherapy side effects

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is one of the largest and most important components of the extracellular matrix. It is found in high amounts in the vitreous humor, umbilical cord, dermis, synovial fluid and heart valves. Up to 80-90% of the circulating HA undergoes catabolism in the liver and 10% is eliminated by the kidney. It is widely used in many branches of medicine. Studies have demonstrated that it provides angiogenic and anti-adhesive effect, collagen storage, cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, balancing osmotic pressure, removing waste, balancing the distribution of high molecular weight proteins and increasing angiogenesis; it has inflammatory effect, provides wound healing and immunostimulators. Along with its basic features, it can undertake different tasks according to the tissue it is in and the cell type it is secreted from. Neither contraindications nor interactions with drugs have been reported to date. When the literature is reviewed, HA appears to be an effective and safe option in the treatment of acute and chronic side effects that will occur or occur due to radiotherapy. However, there is a need for researches on how HA can be used and how long it can be used.

In this review, the data about whether HA is effective in reducing acute and chronic side effects caused by radiotherapy were discussed in the light of the literature.