Role of Cell Cycle Perturbations in the Combination Therapy of Chemotherapeutic Agents and Radiation

Abstract

The combination of radiotherapy with chemotherapeutic agents that sensitize tumor cells to ionizing radiation has long been regarded as a promising strategy to enhance cancer therapy. Many chemotherapeutic agents interact with radiation and enhance the cytotoxic or anti-tumor effect of radiation through a number of mechanisms. These include an increase in initial radiation damage, inhibition of cellular repair, cell cycle redistribution, enhancement of apoptosis, counteracting hypoxia and overcoming accelerated repopulation. This article focuses on the role of cell cycle perturbations in the radiosensitivity of cancer cells.

Keywords:

• cell cycle
• chemoradiation
• chemotherapy
• radiosensitization
• radiotherapy

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Bea Pauwels holds a post-doctoral fellowship of the Fund for Scientific Research, Flanders, Belgium (FWO-F). The authors have 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. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

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

Additional information

Funding

Bea Pauwels holds a post-doctoral fellowship of the Fund for Scientific Research, Flanders, Belgium (FWO-F). The authors have 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. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.