[Radiobiology dedicated to endothelium]

Abstract

Radiotherapy is used in more than 60% of the curative or palliative intent treatment against cancer. However, its effectiveness is often limited by intrinsic resistance of cancer cells and the radiation toxicity of the surrounding normal tissue. New paradigms in oncology are not only focused on tumor cells, but also considered non-transformed from the stromal cells as potential therapeutic target. Among the different cell types, endothelial cells play a singular role, due by their presence, in the vast majority of tumors but also of healthy tissue. This review proposes to participate in the understanding of the response of the endothelium, in the radiation sensitivity of tumor and healthy tissue after radiotherapy.