Melatonin as a radioprotective agent against flattening filter and flattening filter-free beam in radiotherapy-induced lung tissue damage

Abstract

Background

Radiotherapy is a widely used treatment method in oncology, applied by delivering high-energy particles or waves to the tumor tissue. Although tumor cells are targeted with radiotherapy, it can cause acute or long-term damage to healthy tissues. Therefore, the preservation of healthy tissues has been an important subject of various scientific researches. Melatonin has been shown to have a radioprotective effect on many tissues and organs such as liver, parotid gland, brain, and testicles. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of melatonin against the radiation at various doses and rates administered to the lung tissue of healthy mice.

Methods

This study was a randomized case-control study conducted with 80 rats comprising 10 groups with eight animals per group. Of the 10 groups, first is the control group, which is not given any melatonin, and second is the group that does not receive RT, which is given only melatonin, and the other eight groups are RT groups, four with melatonin and four without melatonin.

Results

There was no statistical difference in terms of histopathological findings in the lung tissue between the second group, which did not receive radiotherapy and received only melatonin, and the control group. Lung damage due to radiotherapy was statistically significantly higher in the groups that did not receive melatonin compared to the groups that received melatonin.

Conclusions

This study revealed that melatonin has a protective effect against the cytotoxic damage of RT in rats receiving RT.

Keywords:

• Melatonin
• radiotherapy
• flattening filter free
• pulmonary damage
• radioprotection

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Zuhal özer Simsek

Zuhal Özer Simsek, MD, Specialist of Chest Diseases and Intensive Care at the Department of Chest Intensive Care Unit, Kayseri City Hospitals, Kayseri/Turkey. Her area of interest is lung cancer and respiratory failure.

Serhat Aras

Serhat Aras, MD, Adjunct Professor (Docent) of Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Haydarpasa Numune Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences Turkey, Istanbul, Turkey. His research topic is radiotherapy treatments and prevention of radiotherapy-related damage.

Makbule Cikrikcioglu

Makbule Cikrikcioglu, MD, Specialist of Pathology at the Department of Pathology, Haydarpasa Numune Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences Turkey, Istanbul, Turkey. Her field of study is lung pathology.

Kursad Nuri Baydili

Kursad Nuri Baydili, MD, Specialist of Biostatistics, Management and Organization Programme, at the Department of Biostatistics, University of Health Sciences Turkey, Istanbul, Turkey. He is a medical statistics expert.

Mustafa Cortuk

Mustafa Cortuk, MD, Professor, Specialist of Chest Diseases at the Department of Chest Diseases, Health Science University Yedikule Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey. He is a specialist in pulmonology and interventional pulmonology.