Here, we highlight the potential translational benefits of delivering FLASH radiotherapy using ultra-high dose rates (>100 Gy·s −1 ). Compared with conventional dose-rate (CONV; 0.07-0.1 Gy·s −1 ) modalities, we showed that FLASH did not cause radiation-induced deficits in learning and memory in mice. Moreover, 6 months after exposure, CONV caused permanent alterations in neurocognitive end points, whereas FLASH did not induce behaviors characteristic of anxiety and depression and did not impair extinction memory. Mechanistic investigations showed that increasing the oxygen tension in the brain through carbogen breathing reversed the neuroprotective effects of FLASH, while radiochemical studies confirmed that FLASH produced lower levels of the toxic reactive oxygen species hydrogen peroxide. In addition, FLASH did not induce neuroinflammation, a process described as oxidative stress-dependent, and was also associated with a marked preservation of neuronal morphology and dendritic spine density. The remarkable normal tissue sparing afforded by FLASH may someday provide heretofore unrealized opportunities for dose escalation to the tumor bed, capabilities that promise to hasten the translation of this groundbreaking irradiation modality into clinical practice.ultra-high dose-rate irradiation | cognitive dysfunction | neuronal morphology | neuroinflammation | reactive oxygen species R adiation therapy (RT) remains an essential part of cancer treatment, and, today, the benefit of RT would increase dramatically if normal tissues surrounding the tumor could tolerate higher doses of radiation (1-3). In the last decade, major advances in high-precision treatment delivery and multimodal imaging have improved tolerance to RT (4), but the selective protection of normal tissue remains a significant clinical challenge and the radiation-induced toxicities still adversely impact the patient's quality of life. This latter fact largely remains an unmet medical need, and points to the urgency of developing improved RT modalities for combating those cancers refractory to treatment.This issue is especially critical for those afflicted with brain tumors, including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), for which standard treatment consists of surgical resection followed by RT and concomitant chemotherapy (temozolomide). Typical radiotherapeutic protocols for GBM induce neurocognitive complications, including impairments in learning and memory, attention, and executive function and a variety of mood disorders (5-8). A breadth of past work from our laboratories has linked adverse neurocognitive outcomes following cranial irradiation to a range of neuropathologies, including reductions in dendritic complexity and spine density (9-12), reductions in microvascular density (13-15), reduced myelination and synapse density, and increased neuroinflammation (16,17). These changes are persistent and problematic in the conventionally irradiated brain and have prompted efforts to more fully develop a truly innovative approach to RT, where we have concept...

FLASH radiotherapy (FLASH-RT) is a technology that could modify the way radiotherapy is delivered in the future. This technique involves the ultra-fast delivery of radiotherapy at dose rates several orders of magnitude higher than those currently used in routine clinical practice. This very short time of exposure leads to the striking observation of relative protection of normal tissues that are exposed to FLASH-RT as compared with conventional dose rate radiotherapy. Here we summarise the current knowledge about the FLASH effect and provide a synthesis of the observations that have been reported on various experimental animal models (mice, zebrafish, pig, cats), various organs (lung, gut, brain, skin) and by various groups across 40 years of research. We also propose possible mechanisms for the FLASH effect, as well as possible paths for clinical application.

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Purpose: A substantial proportion of breast cancer survivors report significant, long-lasting impairments in cognitive function, often referred to as "chemobrain." Advances in detection and treatment mean that many more patients are surviving long-term following diagnosis of invasive breast cancer. Thus, it is important to define the types, extent, and persistence of cognitive impairments following treatment with cytotoxic cancer drugs.Experimental Design: We examined the effects of chronic treatment with two agents commonly used in patients with breast cancer, cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin (Adriamycin). Athymic nude rats were given 50 mg/kg cyclophosphamide, 2 mg/kg doxorubicin, or saline injections once per week for 4 weeks. A novel place recognition task and contextual and cued fear conditioning were used to characterize learning and memory ability. Immunofluorescence staining for immature and mature neurons and activated microglia was used to assess changes in neurogenesis and neuroinflammation.Results: Cyclophosphamide-and doxorubicin-treated rats showed significantly impaired performance on the novel place recognition task and the contextual fear conditioning task compared with untreated controls, suggesting disrupted hippocampal-based memory function. Chemotherapy-treated animals showed a significant decline in neurogenesis [80%-90% drop in bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd)-labeled cells expressing NeuN]. Activated microglia (ED1-positive) were found after cyclophosphamide but not doxorubicin treatment.Conclusions: Our results show that chronic treatment with either of two commonly used chemotherapeutic agents impairs cognitive ability and suggest that strategies to prevent or repair disrupted hippocampal neurogenesis may be effective in ameliorating this serious side effect in cancer survivors.

Cranial irradiation for the treatment of brain cancer elicits progressive and severe cognitive dysfunction that is associated with significant neuropathology. Radiation injury in the CNS has been linked to persistent microglial activation, and we find upregulation of pro-inflammatory genes even 6 weeks after irradiation. We hypothesize that depletion of microglia in the irradiated brain would have a neuroprotective effect. Adult mice received acute head only irradiation (9 Gy) and were administered a dietary inhibitor (PLX5622) of colony stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF1R) to deplete microglia post-irradiation. Cohorts of mice maintained on a normal and PLX5662 diet were analyzed for cognitive changes using a battery of behavioral tasks 4–6 weeks later. PLX5622 treatment caused a rapid and near complete elimination of microglia in the brain within 3 days of treatment. Irradiation of animals given a normal diet caused characteristic behavioral deficits designed to test medial pre-frontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampal learning and memory and caused increased microglial activation. Animals receiving the PLX5622 diet exhibited no radiation-induced cognitive deficits, and exhibited near complete loss of IBA-1 and CD68 positive microglia in the mPFC and hippocampus. Our data demonstrate that elimination of microglia through CSF1R inhibition can ameliorate radiation-induced cognitive deficits in mice.