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This group is conducting studies to clarify why charged
particle beams have a greater biological effect than other radiation therapies.
This is based on an analysis of successful cases of charged particle cancer
therapy performed at the NIRS. One of our aims is to propose more effective
radiation therapies. Another aim of this group is to reduce side effects by
analyzing differences between the effects of radiation on normal tissues and
on cancer tissues. Since cells in cancer tissue are often hypoxic, the group
is conducting studies on how hypoxia affects cancer cells at the whole-patient
and cellular levels before and after irradiation.
Using tissue cultures and animal models, the group is
investigating new therapeutic protocols which combine drug and radiation treatment.
Two classes of drugs
which might be combined with charged beam particles or X-rays are radiosensitizing
agents, which enhance the effects of radiation cancer therapy, and radioprotective
agents, which reduce the damage to normal cells.