Radiobiology and Radiotherapy

These flashcards encompass key vocabulary and concepts related to radiobiology and radiotherapy from the lecture notes.

Ionizing Radiation

Radiation with sufficient energy to dislodge an electron from an atom.

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)

Chemically reactive molecules containing oxygen, generated in biological systems that can damage DNA.

Double Strand Breaks (DSBs)

A type of DNA damage consisting of breaks in both strands of the DNA helix, critical for cell survival after radiation exposure.

Non-Homologous End Joining (NHEJ)

A pathway for repairing double-strand breaks in DNA when homologous sequences are not available.

Homologous Recombination (HR)

A DNA repair process that uses a homologous sequence as a template for accurate repair.

Mitotic Catastrophe

A form of cell death that occurs when cells with extensive DNA damage attempt to divide.

Fractionation

The process of delivering radiotherapy in multiple small doses rather than in one large dose.

Therapeutic Ratio

The balance between the efficacy of radiotherapy in treating cancer versus the toxicity to healthy tissues.

Acute Effects

Short-term adverse effects resulting from radiation therapy, occurring days to weeks post-treatment.

Late Effects

Long-term adverse consequences of radiation therapy that can emerge months to years following treatment.

Brachytherapy

A type of radiotherapy where radioisotopes are inserted directly into or near a tumor, emitting short-range radiation.

Systemic Radiotherapy

A method of delivering radiation throughout the body, often using molecules that target tumor cells.