In March 2003, the research Programme of Translational Radiobiology
(PRACAT), sponsored by Cancer’ programme of Catalonia, with
a multicentric aim, began. We focus our translational
research on predictive testing for antitumour response and toxicity
in patients treated with radiotherapy. In order to overcome the limitations
of clonogenic assay, we are exploring the putative usefulness of
the quantification of radio-induced DNA double-strand breaks (dsb)
and its repair in tumour or healthy tissue as a short-term alternative
for the prediction to radiotherapy. We have confirmed that molecular
radiosensitivity anticipates clonogenic radiosensitivity using M059J
and M059K cell lines. Also, we have demonstrated that ex vivo irradiation
of isolated tumour cells from biopsies is an achievable methodology
to quantify induced and repaired dsb. An ongoing multicentric study
will analyse the role of molecular radiosensitivity in testing the
response of cervix and oropharynx cancer to radiotherapy in individualised
patients.
Recently two new preclinical projects have begun. One will study the
role of Erbitux® as an adjuvant treatment after curative radiotherapy
in oropharynx cancer. The second project is a taxonomic study of radiation-induced
DNA fragments before and after its repair aiming to determine the existence
of a recurrent pattern of breakage. Eventually its role as predictive
factor in radiotherapy treatment will be explored.
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