Abstract
Radiotherapy has become one of the most prominent and effective modalities for cancer treatment and care. Ionising radiation, delivered either from external or internal sources, can be targeted to cancerous cells causing damage to DNA that can induce apoptosis. External beam radiotherapy delivers either photon radiation (x-rays or gamma rays) or particle radiation (neutrons or protons) in a targeted manner to specific tumour locations. Internal radiotherapy involves placing radioactive sources within the body to deliver localised doses of therapeutic radiation to tumours using short range radionuclides. Biomaterials have been developed to allow more precise targeting of radiotherapy in order to reduce toxicity to surrounding healthy tissues and increase treatment efficacy. These unique biomaterials have been developed from polymers, glasses and ceramics. Polymeric materials have been used to both displace healthy tissue from tumours receiving radiation, and to deliver radioactive sources into the body. These polymers can respond to various stimuli, such as radiation or reactive oxygen species, to deliver therapeutic payloads to target tissue during or post radiotherapy. Glass-based biomaterials doped with radionuclides have also been developed to provide in situ radiotherapy. Novel biomaterials that can enhance the synergistic effect of other treatment modalities, such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy, continue to be developed. Theranostic materials that are capable of providing diagnostic information whilst simultaneously delivering a therapeutic effect to enhance radiotherapy are also briefly reviewed.
Highlights
Radiotherapy has become one of the most common and vital modalities for effective cancer treatment and care, and is used either alone or in combination with surgery, chemotherapy and immunotherapy in approximately half of all cancer cases worldwide [1]
This can lead to hypofractionated schedules, which involves the delivery of fewer, larger doses of radiotherapy in a highly precise manner which can provide radical curative effects at local tumour regions [18]
Following the completion of high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy or external beam radiotherapies (EBRT), a reduction in temperature causes the Nitinol to return to its original martensitic phase and shape so that the device can be deflated and removed from the patient with minimal discomfort
Summary
Radiotherapy has become one of the most common and vital modalities for effective cancer treatment and care, and is used either alone or in combination with surgery, chemotherapy and immunotherapy in approximately half of all cancer cases worldwide [1]. Technological advances in imaging techniques in conjunction with the ability to shape radiation beams have resulted in the development of highly conformal external beam radiotherapies (EBRT) These techniques can accurately target a tumour site and deliver a maximum ionising radiation dose to the target whilst minimising the dose to surrounding healthy tissue [11]. Conformal external beam radiotherapies can allow for dose escalation to target regions whilst sparing normal tissue This can lead to hypofractionated schedules, which involves the delivery of fewer, larger doses of radiotherapy in a highly precise manner which can provide radical curative effects at local tumour regions [18].
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