Radiobiology

These topics originally matched the curriculum but with the update it is now a bit out of sync. Please bear with me while I tidy things up. I think I will keep the foundation topics separate as I feel they were a nice introduction into radiobiology.

Foundation Topics

FR1: Normal Cell Biology

• R1.1: Normal Cell Structure
• R1.2: Eukaryotic Genes
• R1.3: DNA Replication
• R1.4: Generation Of Protein From Dna
• R1.5: The Cell Cycle
  • R1.5.1: The Cell Cycle
  • R1.5.2: Control Of The Cell Cycle
  • R1.5.3: Cell Cycle Checkpoints
  • R1.5.4: Differences In Cell Cycle Times

FR2: Cancer Cell Biology

• R2.1: Features Of Malignant Cells
• R2.2: Tumour Cell Kinetics
• R2.3: Multistep Nature Of Carcinogenesis

FR3: Introduction to Radiobiology

• R3.1: Types Of Radiation
• R3.2: Linear Energy Transfer (LET)
• R3.3: Relative Biological Effectiveness (RBE)
• R3.4: Methods Of DNA Damage
• R3.5: Linear Quadratic Equation
• R3.6: Alpha Beta Values
• R3.7: Basics Of DNA Repair
• R3.8: The Oxygen Effect

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Intermediate Topics

R01: History of Radiobiology

• R01.1: Early Observations
• R01.2: History of the Therapeutic Ratio
• R01.3: Development of Fractionation

R02: Normal Cell Function

• R02.1: Normal Cell Structure (Advanced)
• R02.2: Structure of Eukaryotic Genes
• R02.3: Chromosome Packaging
• R02.4: DNA Replication
• R02.5: RNA Transcription & Translation
• R02.7: The Cell Cycle

R03: Mechanisms of Malignant Cell Transformation

R04: Tumour Growth

R05: Effect of Radiation on Cells

• R5.1: Variations In Cellular Radiation Sensitivity
• R5.2: Somatic and Gametic Cells
• R5.3: Chromosome Damage
• R5.4: DNA Damage and Repair
• R5.5: Mechanisms Of Cell Death
• R5.6: Predictive Assays

R06: DNA Repair

R07: Modelling of Radiation Effects

• R6.1: Random Nature Of Cell Kill
• R6.2: Generation Of Survival Curves
• R6.3: Factors Influencing Dose Response Curves
• R6.4: Cell Survival Curve Models

R08: Fractionation and the 5 R's

R09: Clinical use of the L/Q model and 𝜶/β ratio

R10: Radiation and Oxygen

• R9.1: The Oxygen Effect
• R9.2: Factors Influencing The Oxygen Effect
• R9.3: Tumour Hypoxia
• R9.4: Reoxygenation
• R9.5: Methods To Overcome Tumour Hypoxia

R11: Radiation Quality

R12: Dose Response for Tumours

R13: Normal Tissue Effects

• Pathophysiology and Mediators of Early Effects
• Early Effects in Normal Tissues
• Measurement of early toxicity
• Latency of Early Effects
• Effect of Time and Fractionation on Early Effects
• Pharmacological Modification of Early Effects
• Acute Radiation Syndromes
• Radiation and the Immune System
• Biological Dosimetry
• Rationale for Total Body Irradiation
• The Abscopal Effect
• Subacute Radiation Effects
• Pathophysiology and Mediators of late effects
• Late Effects in Normal Tissues <- Numerous subtopics awaiting completion
• Tissue Tolerance
• Measurement of late toxicity
• Latency and late effects
• Fractionation and late effects
• Cytokines involved in late effects
• Consequential Late Effects
• Deterministic and Stochastic Effects

• Radiation induced mutations <— Hereditary effects make more sense than more carcinogenesis repetition
• Low level radiation

R14: Radiation and the Foetus

• Nature of and reasons for in utero effects
• Factors influencing effects and risks
• Doubling Dose

R15: Quantification of Normal Tissue Effects

R16: Radiation Carcinogenesis

• Carcinogenesis after radiation exposure
• Carcinogenesis from in utero exposure
• Carcinogenesis from occupational, medical or military exposure

R17: Combination of Radiation with Other Therapies

• Sequencing of Radiation and Surgery
• Surgery and Clonagen Reduction
• Radiosensitisers
• Radioprotectors
• Combined Modality Treatment
• Hazards of Combined Modality Treatment
• Dose-Enhancement Factor

R18: Retreatment with Radiation Therapy

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Orphaned Radiobiology Topics

Old R4: Advanced Cell Biology

• R4.1: Major Cell Cycle Regulators
• R4.2: Signal Transduction
• R4.3: Molecular Response to Ionising Radiation
• R4.4: Tumour Kinetics
• R4.5: Hallmarks of Cancer
• R4.6: In Vitro Features Of Transformed Cells
• R4.7: Mouse Models Of Tumour Initiation And Promotion

Old R7: Radiation Sensitivity

• R7.1: Cellular Variations In Radiosensitivity
• R7.2: Radiosensitivity of Different Cell Populations
• R7.3: Repopulation
• R7.4: Radiosensitivity Cell Models

Old R8: Radiation Response Modifiers

• R8.1: Radiosensitivity & Radiocurability
• R8.2: Cytokines and the Radiation Response
• R8.3: Remembered Dose
• R8.4: Functional Subunits (FSU)
• R8.5: Factors Influencing Radiation Effect
• R8.6: Tumour Control Probability Curves
• R8.7: Factors Determining Tumour Regression Rate

Old R13: Clinical Radiobiology <— not included in new curriculum

• The 5 R's of Fractionation
• Time, dose and fractionation relationships
  • Effect of Overall Treatment Time
  • Effect of Fractionation
• Isoeffective Formula and Biological Equivalent Dose
• Clinical use of the Linear Quadratic Equation
• Clinical use of the alpha/beta ratio
• Clinical use of partial tolerance
• Clinical use of Dose Response curves
• The Volume Effect
• The Tumour Bed Effect
• Use and Rationale of Shrinking Field Techniques
• Altered Fractionation

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Advanced Topics

R19: Radiobiology of Specialised Techniquies

R20: Advanced Integration of Cancer Biology and Systemic Therapy

R21: Molecular Analysis in Oncology

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Links

• Basic Topics
  • Anatomy
  • Pathology
  • Physics
  • Radiation Therapy
  • Radiobiology