The potential for neutrons i n radiation therapy depends on a differential in RBE for tumor versus normal tissues. To study this we compared the responses of normal and tumor tissues to 15-MeV and 252Cf neutrons with responses to 137Cs gamma o r 300-kVp x rays i n the mouse in vivo. Using 1% survival as a biological end point, the RBEs of 15-MeV and 252Cf neutrons were 2.3 and 5.1 (137Cs a t 4.5 rads/min) respectively for the EMTG tumor and 1.5 and 2.5 (137Cs a t 4.5 rads/min) respectively for bone marrow CFUs. For pulmonary and esophageal lethality, the R B E values of 15-MeV neutrons were 2.2 and 4.1. With 15-MeV neutrons, the R B E for the tumor was greater than the bone marrow CFU. The R B E for pulmonary lethality was less than that for esophageal lethality. W i t h 252Cf, the R B E for the EMTG tumor, although greater than the bone marrow CFU, was not significantly different from reported in vivo RBE values of normal tissues at comparable gamma dose rates.
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