Photosensitizer Activation by Ionizing Radiation
B. Xu (TU Delft - RST/Applied Radiation & Isotopes)
A.G. Denkova – Promotor (TU Delft - RST/Radiation, Science and Technology)
R. Eelkema – Promotor (TU Delft - ChemE/Advanced Soft Matter)
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Abstract
Radiation therapy uses ionizing radiation to kill tumor cells by damaging DNA and other biomolecules either directly or via reactive oxygen species generated during water radiolysis. However, radiation effectiveness is often limited by normal tissue tolerance and tumor radioresistance, which motivates the use of radiosensitizers to enhance tumor response. Photosensitizers are being explored as radiosensitizers because they can promote the formation of additional reactive oxygen species and other reactive species under ionizing radiation. However, the mechanisms by which photosensitizers respond to ionizing radiation remain unclear, and reported radiosensitizing outcomes are not always consistent. This thesis therefore investigates the mechanism of how photosensitizers generate reactive oxygen species under different radiation conditions and assesses their potential as radiosensitizers across radiation therapy modalities with different dose rates....