Radiobiology 2016

Conclusions

• Cancer is caused by a series (~5-10) of changes in the genome – Additional ~10 3 passenger genetic alterations

• The changes which occur can be classified, giving rise to 6 essential acquired properties, 2 emerging properties and 2 enabling properties

• The hallmarks of cancer can be arrived at by many different genetic routes – As a result tumors are very heterogeneous. For each ‘ type ’ of cancer there are several genetic routes • These hallmarks (and accompanying genetic alterations) affect treatment and radiation sensitivity in complex ways. – Understanding the molecular basis of cancer is important to understand radiation responses