Hormesis is defined as “low-dose stimulation and high dose suppression of certain biological parameters by the same agent” (Liu 1989). Delivering radiation doses of >2 Gy to the whole body would lead to immune-suppression whose severity is dose dependent. A phenomenon that was observed and recorded after the use of the Atomic Bomb and was later exploited clinically in the conditioning of patients before bone marrow transplantation.
This chapter will argue for a hormetic effect of much lower doses of whole body irradiation on the immune system by presenting experimental data showing that low dose total body irradiation (LTBI) can enhance the immune system’s capabilities to recognize and attack cancer cells. A hypothesis suggesting that this “hormetic” immune enhancement is responsible for the clinical therapeutic results that are observed after LTBI will be presented. This hypothesis is supported by experimental studies and by the interesting observation that the clinical therapeutic effect of LTBI has a hormetic pattern, i.e., it is lost at high radiation doses. This is illustrated in Fig. 1.
It is important here to emphasize that possible immune enhancement of low doses of irradiation is not a “beneficial effect” of low dose irradiation. The description “beneficial effects” is hardly a scientific term and it is important here to remember that LTBI may increase the risk of secondary leukaemia after long observation periods (Travis et al. 1996; Travis et al. 1994; Travis et al. 1993; Travis et al. 1991). The data and arguments in this chapter should not therefore be used for, or interpreted as, a support for calls to loosen up radiation protection rules and guidelines.
Keywords
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
- Radiat Oncol Biol Phys
- Total Body Irradiation
- Atomic Bomb Survivor
- Friend Virus
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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© 2008 Springer Science + Business Media B.V
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Safwat, A. (2008). Clinical Applications of Low-Dose Whole Body Irradiation Hormesis. In: Le Bourg, E., Rattan, S.I.S. (eds) Mild Stress and Healthy Aging. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6869-0_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6869-0_10
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