Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39479528›Full record

ReviewNational science review2024

Current views on mechanisms of the FLASH effect in cancer radiotherapy.

Yuqi Ma, Wenkang Zhang, Ziming Zhao, Jianfeng Lv, Junyi Chen, Xueqin Yan, XiaoJi Lin, Junlong Zhang, Bingwu Wang, Song Gao and 2 more

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in National science review, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 29 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
29citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

29 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Reduced corneal toxicity following whole brain irradiation in mice.Clinical and translational radiation oncology · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Development and application ofPhysics and imaging in radiation oncology · 2026
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Microenvironmental remodeling in FLASH radiotherapy.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2026
    Review
  9. Review
  10. Article
  11. Review
  12. Review
  13. Review
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Review
  19. Review
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Yuqi MaState Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Wenkang ZhangState Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Ziming ZhaoState Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Jianfeng LvState Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Junyi ChenState Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Xueqin YanState Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
XiaoJi LinOncology Discipline Group, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325003, China.
Junlong ZhangBeijing National Laboratory of Molecular Science, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Bingwu WangBeijing National Laboratory of Molecular Science, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Song GaoBeijing National Laboratory of Molecular Science, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Jie XiaoKIRI Precision Particle Therapy Flash Technologies Research Center, Guangzhou 510700, China.
Gen YangState Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0695-5583

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

FLASH radiotherapy (FLASH-RT) is a new modality of radiotherapy that delivers doses with ultra-high dose rates. The FLASH effect was defined as the ability of FLASH-RT to suppress tumor growth while sparing normal tissues. Although the FLASH effect has been proven to be valid in various models by different modalities of irradiation and clinical trials of FLASH-RT have achieved promising initial success, the exact underlying mechanism is still unclear. This article summarizes mainstream hypotheses of the FLASH effect at physicochemical and biological levels, including oxygen depletion and free radical reactions, nuclear and mitochondria damage, as well as immune response. These hypotheses contribute reasonable explanations to the FLASH effect and are interconnected according to the chronological order of the organism's response to ionizing radiation. By collating the existing consensus, evidence and hypotheses, this article provides a comprehensive overview of potential mechanisms of the FLASH effect and practical guidance for future investigation in the field of FLASH-RT.

Indexed as

FLASH effectmechanismradiotherapyultra-high dose-rate irradiation

Identifiers

PMID39479528
PMCPMC11523052

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.