1st Edition

Radiosensitizers and Radiochemotherapy in the Treatment of Cancer

By Shirley Lehnert Copyright 2015
    548 Pages
    by CRC Press

    548 Pages
    by CRC Press

    Radiosensitizers and Radiochemotherapy in the Treatment of Cancer catalogs and describes the mechanism of action for entities characterized as radiosensitizers. Developments in the biological and physical sciences have introduced new radiosensitizers and defined novel targets for radiosensitization. As a result, a book about radiosensitization must now address a huge range of topics, covering everything from molecular oxygen and high Z elements to monoclonal antibodies and complex phytochemicals.



    At the molecular level, the understanding of the molecular consequences of DNA damage and the DNA damage response have informed the development of targeted radiosensitizers and shed light on the mode of action of radiochemotherapy protocols of known clinical efficacy.



    In this book the mechanisms of action at the molecular and cellular level are described for documented radiosensitizers including, where applicable, a brief history of their clinical use and most recent clinical results. In addition, the clinical context is addressed including the importance of factors such as dose and dose rate, normal tissue toxicity, and drug delivery. Intuitively organized by topic and application, the book includes extensive illustrations, end-of-chapter summaries, and a wealth of references.

    Radiosensitization and Chemoradiation. Radiosensitization by Oxygen and Nitric Oxide. Radioenhancement by Targeting Cellular Redox Pathways and/or by Incorporation of High-Z Materials into the Target. Radiosensitization by Halogenated Pyrimidines. Radiosensitization by Antimetabolites. Radiosensitization by Platinum Drugs and Alkylating Agents. Topoisomerase Inhibitors and Microtubule-Targeting Agents. Targeting the DNA Damage Response: ATM, p53, Checkpoints, and the Proteasome. Radiosensitization by Inhibition of DNA Repair. Targeting Growth Factor Receptors for Radiosensitization. Targeting Signaling Molecules for Radiosensitization. Radiosensitization by Targeting the Tumor Microenvironment. Phytochemicals: Chemopreventive, Radiosensitizing, Radioprotective. Delivery Methods for Radioenhancing Drugs.

    Biography

    Shirley Lehnert is currently a professor in the Department of Oncology at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She graduated from London University in the UK with a PhD in biophysics. Dr. Lehnert did postdoctoral work at the University of Rochester. She conducted research in radiobiology and biophysics first at Sloane Kettering Institute and then at the Radiological Research Laboratory of Columbia University in New York. Dr. Lehnert has published extensively in the fields of radiation biology, tumor biology, and drug delivery.