Avances e implicaciones del Efecto de Vecindad de Radiación Ionizante (EVIR) en radioterapia

Abstract

The purpose of this degree thesis is to investigate the advances and implications of the neighbourhood effect of ionising radiation (EVIR) in radiotherapy, by means of an extensive literature review, for which a study of the principles of ionising radiation applied in the medical field was first carried out, then the neighbourhood effect of ionising radiation on irradiated cells was analysed, and subsequently the technical advances and implications of the neighbourhood effect of ionising radiation in radiotherapy were described. To carry out this research work, several scientific articles published in renowned journals in the field of medicine - radiology - were systematically checked and reviewed. The search strategy and compilation of information was based on previous scientific articles, from reliable and, above all, current sources, to contribute through this research to radiotherapy professionals who are responsible for administering doses of ionising radiation to patients with tumour cells. Through this literature review, it was determined that the radiation beams used in the radiotherapy modality for the treatment of cancer are direct evidence of the cause of biological effects, particularly the neighbourhood effects that occur after irradiation of a patient with tumour cells and which depend on some parameters such as the exposure time, the type of radiation, the volume irradiated, the dose rate and the state of the organism. In addition, ionising radiation, due to its energetic capacity, is used in radiotherapy as a treatment for cancer cells, destroying the tumour medium. However, it does present some risks, as it induces biological changes in the cells close to the targets, which is why it is recommended that professionals working in this area should constantly update their knowledge.