Basic investigation to optimize radiation dose using biological evaluation in radiotherapy

Abstract

External beam radiotherapy is a high-precision cancer therapeutic tool that utilizes 3D- multi-detector computed tomography to both confirm target position and administer radiation dose. In addition, the administration of radiation dose is calculated by Monte Carlo simulation, using computed calculation software. Despite these calculations, individual variation in therapeutic dose and adverse effects are often observed in patients with cancer. To resolve this issue, the use of biomarkers can optimize a dose while evaluating a therapeutic effect and adverse reaction in real time. In the present review, we describe the use of radiotherapy in colorectal cancer treatment, the use of biomarkers until now, and the efficacy of the extracellular release micro RNA as radiation-dose optimization. To fully utilize noninvasiveness radiotherapy, we recommend investigation of the biomarker with high precision, which indirectly evaluates the biological information at the side of a target tissue.