Radiotherapy and the abscopal effect: insight from the past, present, and future

Abstract The abscopal effect is a rare phenomenon in radiation oncology where radiotherapy has a therapeutic effect at a distance from the intended treatment field. This effect has resulted in dramatic clinical responses in metastatic cancer patients. Despite clinical reports describing this phenomenon for over six decades, the abscopal effect is still not well understood. In this systematic review, we summarize and review the clinical and preclinical data that have investigated the mechanisms of this effect and consider the potential of exploiting its use in cancer care.
Source: Journal of Radiation Oncology - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research