Post-irradiation dietary vitamin E does not affect the development of radiation-induced lung damage in rats.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether application of post-irradiation vitamin E, an anti-oxidant, could prevent the development of radiation induced lung damage. Wistar rats were given vitamin E enriched or vitamin E deprived food starting from 4 weeks after 18Gy single dose irradiation of the right thorax. Neither breathing frequencies nor CT density measurements revealed differences between the groups.

Transforming growth factor-beta plasma dynamics and post-irradiation lung injury in lung cancer patients.

Purpose: To investigate the relevance of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) dynamics in plasma for identification of patients at low risk for developing pneumonitis as a complication of thoracic radiotherapy (RT).

Patients And Methods: Non-small cell lung cancer patients undergoing conventional RT were included in the prospective study. Concentrations of TGF-beta were measured in the patients' plasma prior to and weekly during 6 weeks of RT.