Identification of SNPs Associated with Susceptibility for Development of Adverse Reactions to Radiotherapy

Abstract

Although cancer treatment with radiation can produce high cure rates, adverse effects often result from radiotherapy. These toxicities are manifested as damage to normal tissues and organs in the radiation field. In recognition of the substantial variation in the intrinsic response of individuals to radiation, an effort began approximately 10 years ago to discover the genetic markers, primarily SNPs, which are associated with susceptibility for the development of these adverse responses to radiation therapy. The goal of this research is to identify the SNPs that could serve as the basis of an assay to predict which cancer patients are most likely to develop complications resulting from radiotherapy. This would permit personalization and optimization of the treatment plan for each cancer patient.

KEYWORDS::

• genome-wide association studies
• personalized medicine
• radiogenomics
• radiotherapy

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Barry Rosenstein is supported by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine (NY, USA) and his research was supported by grants RSGT-05-200-01-CCE from the American Cancer Society, PC074201 from the DOD Prostate Cancer Research Program and 1R01CA134444 from NIH. The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

Barry Rosenstein is supported by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine (NY, USA) and his research was supported by grants RSGT-05-200-01-CCE from the American Cancer Society, PC074201 from the DOD Prostate Cancer Research Program and 1R01CA134444 from NIH. The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscriptapart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.