PURPOSE: Hypoxia (low oxygen) is a common feature of solid tumors that has been intensely studied for more than six decades. Here we review the importance of hypoxia to radiotherapy with a particular focus on the contribution of hypoxia to immune responses, metastatic potential and FLASH radiotherapy, active areas of research by leading women in the field. CONCLUSION: Although hypoxia-driven metastasis and immunosuppression can negatively impact clinical outcome, understanding these processes can also provide tumor-specific vulnerabilities that may be therapeutically exploited. The different oxygen tensions present in tumors and normal tissues may underpin the beneficial FLASH sparing effect seen in normal tissue and represents a perfect example of advances in the field that can leverage tumor hypoxia to improve future radiotherapy treatments.
Journal article
Int J Radiat Biol
2022
98
439 - 451
FLASH, cancer, immune system, metastasis, tumor microenvironment, ultra-high dose rate, women in research, Female, Humans, Hypoxia, Immunity, Neoplasms, Oxygen, Radiation Oncology, Radiotherapy, Radiotherapy Dosage