Grant: Project Grant

The effectiveness of radiotherapy is determined by normal tissue tolerance. In other words, the dose of radiation administered to the tumour is determined by how well the 'normal' tissue within the irradiated beam can tolerate the dose. Over decades the maximum dose and the optimal fractionation regime that produces the maximum anticancer effect whilst minimizing normal tissue complications has been determined for different cancer types and locations. Most often this radiotherapy treatment is fractionated, for example a prescribed dose of 60 Gy last 6 weeks with 30 fractions of ~2 Gy each. FLASH radiotherapy is a new investigational approach that can administer the total 60 Gy dose in one burst, typically lasting less than a second. This FLASH technique has emerged very recently when it was observed that in some situations radiation delivered at this high rate has less effect on normal tissues than on cancers. To advance this technique for eventual benefit to patients it is crucial to understand the precise circumstances where this differential effect on normal vs cancer tissue occurs. We will use our custom-developed laboratory techniques and experience in radiation biology to elucidate the mechanism for FLASH radiation activity, adding unique and significant insight to the building science surrounding FLASH. Ultimately, application of FLASH would significantly improve patient quality of life and treatment experience, on top of improving cancer cure rates.