Hypoxic Cell Radiosensitizers

Heavy element incorporation in nitroimidazole radiosensitizers: molecular-level insights into fragmentation dynamics

“…This effect is beneficial in radiotherapy as it allows for lower doses of radiation and thus reduces the associated side effects. 4,5,7 Additionally, NO was shown to help with the oxygenation of the hypoxic cells. 9…”

“…In the treatment of low oxygenated tissue called hypoxia, often found in tumors, nitroimidazoles attracted significant interest. [2][3][4][5] Nitroimidazoles are a class of electrophilic radiosensitizers. These compounds mimic oxygen actions in radiotherapy and their radiosensitization efficacy was linked to the quantity of NO and/or NO 2 fragments generated during ionization.…”

“…This effect is beneficial in radiotherapy as it allows for lower doses of radiation and thus reduces the associated side effects. 4,5,7 Additionally, NO was shown to help with the oxygenation of the hypoxic cells. 9 Despite ongoing investigations of numerous radiosensitizer compounds, interpreting clinical trial results in the context of underlying physical and chemical processes remains challenging.…”