A Clinically Feasible FLASH RT Regimen for Dose Escalation in Lung Cancer
FLASH radiotherapy (RT) is a novel treatment that delivers radiation ultra-fast. It spares normal organs while effectively targeting cancer cells, which allows for a safe dose escalation to treat aggressive tumors like lung cancer. Most FLASH RT studies to date have used a single high dose of radiation, while conventional RT that is currently used in clinic to treat patients with lung cancer is fractionated and administered in many small doses over multiple weeks. We have developed an innovative platform to conduct preclinical research that will help establish whether fractionated FLASH RT regimens will be safe and effective to test in patients with lung cancer in the future. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S., and new radiation approaches that allow for a significant dose escalation without an increase in treatment related side effects would transform care and improve outcomes for patients with lung cancer.
