Is Low-Dose Lung Radiotherapy for Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia a Therapeutic Alternative?

Abstract

Low-dose radiotherapy (LD-RT) has historically been used to treat severe bacterial and viral pneumonia due to its immunomodulatory properties. However, this technique has been delayed since the advent of antibiotics and the carcinogenic risk associated with radiation therapy. Currently, it represents an alternative therapeutic in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic which leads sometimes to fatal pneumonia, especially given the limited availability of effective treatments for severe forms of pneumonia. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated the anti-inflammatory effect of LD-RT and have reported clinical and biological improvement in patients with severe pneumonia. In this literature review, we report the data and results of various published clinical trials.