We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




Pioneering Model Measures Radiation Exposure in Blood for Precise Cancer Treatments

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 25 Aug 2025

Scientists have long focused on protecting organs near tumors during radiotherapy, but blood — a vital, circulating tissue — has largely been excluded from dose calculations. More...

Each blood cell passing through a radiation field absorbs small amounts of energy that, cumulatively, can weaken the immune system or trigger hematologic toxicity. A new model now offers a way to measure this exposure and improve the safety of cancer treatment.

Researchers at the University of Navarra (Pamplona, Spain) have developed the FLIP-HEDOS method, the first tool to quantify radiation absorbed by blood during therapy. By combining patient anatomy, blood circulation data, and radiotherapy plans, it simulates when and how much blood is irradiated. This approach treats blood as an “organ at risk” and integrates insights from physics, oncology, and engineering to guide personalized radiotherapy planning.

The researchers conducted a study along with clinicians to validate the framework in a real clinical setting. The results showed that factors such as tumor proximity to major blood vessels, the type of radiation applied, and variations in cardiac output significantly shaped blood irradiation. Findings emphasize that even low doses can damage lymphocytes, impairing immune responses during cancer treatment.

FLIP-HEDOS has gained recognition at leading international forums, including the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) in Austria (May 2025), the Radiation Research Society Conference in the U.S. (September 2024), and the Spanish Society of Medical Physics (May 2025). Portions of the work have also been published in journals such as Radiation Physics and Chemistry, Physics in Medicine & Biology, and Clinical Cancer Research. These achievements highlight the tool’s credibility and its potential role in advancing radiation oncology.

Beyond radiotherapy planning, the method could be applied to simulate drug or radiopharmaceutical distribution and to evaluate strategies for radioprotection. Modeling cumulative exposure creates opportunities to optimize treatment schedules and beam directions to reduce blood damage. Researchers see it as a paradigm shift toward protecting the immune system and enhancing patients’ quality of life in precision oncology.

“Thinking of blood as a dynamic organ to be protected represents a paradigm shift in modern radiotherapy,” said Professor Javier Burguete, Professor of Medical Physics and Biophysics at the University of Navarra and director of the thesis. “This research not only responds to a scientific need, but also a clinical imperative: to offer safer treatments without compromising oncological efficacy.”


New
Gold Member
Automated MALDI-TOF MS System
EXS 3000
Portable Electronic Pipette
Mini 96
New
Silver Member
PCR Plates
Diamond Shell PCR Plates
Rapid Molecular Testing Device
FlashDetect Flash10
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: LungCanSeek demonstrated an overall sensitivity of 83.5% and specificity of 90.3% in detecting lung cancer (Photo courtesy of AdobeStock)

New Blood Test Offers Affordable and Accurate Early Detection of Lung Cancer

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, largely because most cases are diagnosed at advanced stages when treatment options are limited. Early detection significantly improves... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The TriVerity IVD test includes the TriVerity cartridge and the Myrna instrument (Photo courtesy of Inflammatix)

Blood-Based Immune Cell Signatures Could Guide Treatment Decisions for Critically Ill Patients

When a patient enters the emergency department in critical condition, clinicians must rapidly decide whether the patient has an infection, whether it is bacterial or viral, and whether immediate treatment... Read more

Industry

view channel
Image: The collaboration supports clinical validation and regulatory submissions of the new T1D 4-plex assay on Revvity’s GSP instrument (Photo courtesy of Revvity)

Revvity and Sanofi Collaborate on Program to Revolutionize Early Detection of Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a lifelong autoimmune condition in which the immune system destroys the pancreas’s insulin-producing beta cells, leading to dependence on insulin therapy. Early detection is critical... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.