Base damages induced in DNA by 10 eV electrons: contribution to the radiosensitization mechanism of platinum chemotherapeutic drugs

Abstract

Synopsis Binding of Pt-drugs to DNA significantly enhaces base damages, crosslinks, double strand breaks (DSBs) and non-DSB cluster lesions induced by 10 eV electrons. This enhancement of potentially lethal lesions is due to a modification of electron-DNA interactions, which contributes to the synergy between chemo- and radio-therapy, when these modalities are administered in concomitance during cancer treatments.