A mouse model for microbeam radiotherapy of the lung

Purpose
Radiotherapy is an important treatment component for patients with lung cancer. However, the survival time gained with clinical radiotherapy techniques is relatively short.

Data from pre-clinical experiments suggest that synchrotron microbeam radiotherapy (MRT) could be much better suited to control malignant brain tumours than current clinical concepts of radiotherapy. Even at peak doses of several hundred Gy, the extent of functional deficits is amazingly low.

Methods and Materials
We have developed the first mouse model to study the effects of microbeam irradiation in lung tissue.

Results
Up to peak doses of 400 Gy, no acute adverse effects were seen.

Conclusion
This model is well suited to explore the potential of MRT in the treatment of lung cancer, the response of normal lung tissue and organs of risk.