Posted on 06/02/2025 9:40:10 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
In a study, researchers explore a surprising phenomenon in which high doses of radiation cause growth in existing metastatic tumors that weren't directly treated with radiation.
Scientists had previously observed that radiation can cause distant tumors to shrink after radiation, known as the "abscopal effect." The researchers dubbed the opposite response the "badscopal effect."
They believe this unexpected response happens because high-dose radiation increases the production of a protein called amphiregulin by tumor cells that are directly treated with radiation. High amounts of amphiregulin weaken the immune system's ability to fight cancer and make cancer cells better at protecting themselves.
Radiotherapy is often used alone or in combination to control localized tumors. More recently, radiotherapy has been used to treat cancers that have limited spread, termed "oligometastasis." Scientists believe radiotherapy activates the immune system, producing regression in tumors at distant sites not directly treated with radiation (i.e. the abscopal effect).
However, many patients who receive radiation for oligometastasis or as part of an immunotherapy regimen fail to respond to treatment because of the progression of distant metastasis.
To investigate this tumor-to-tumor interaction, the research team analyzed biopsy samples from a clinical trial in which patients with diverse histological types were treated with high-dose focused radiotherapy known as Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) and checkpoint blockade (Pembrolizumab). That clinical trial team found that tumors at preexisting metastatic sites increased in size following SBRT, suggesting radiation might promote tumor growth.
The researchers then studied this effect using animal models of lung and breast cancer. They found that while radiation reduced the number of new metastatic sites, it increased the growth of existing metastases. Radiotherapy significantly upregulated amphiregulin in tumor cells and blood.
"Interestingly, the combination of radiation and amphiregulin blockade decreased both tumor size and the number of metastatic sites," Weichselbaum said.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
This seems to point to low dose radiation in this situation, no radiation, or the use of antibodies to block ampliregulin, if using high dose radiation.
Ping
Why would this surprise them?
They keep warning us how bad radiation is and how much it causes cancer.
Could it be simply because killing tumors at one place increases nutrients for other tumors at different places?..............
My wife is scheduled for a mastectomy next week. We’re praying that there’s no need for further treatment. If there is, radiation and chemo are last on our list.
she’s taking a hybrid approach. She’s been seeing a Naturopathic doctor in addition to the traditional types.
She’s on a whole slew of supplements and a relatively strict diet.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.