A role for molecular radiobiology in radiotherapy?

As we learn more about the cellular response to radiation and its genetic control, new avenues are opened up that have the potential to have a significant impact on radiotherapy practice. The recognition of the importance of the control of DNA damage induction and repair, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis gives us the primary areas to investigate, and the improvements in molecular technology make the application of our new knowledge more feasible. It can only be hoped that specific means can be found to assist in the prediction of normal tissue and tumour radiosensitivity and to manipulate sensitivity when that is desirable.