Lausanne University hospital
Radiation Oncology
The research projects that I develop with my team aim at finding innovative tools able to protect normal tissue and enhance tumor control. In this context, we have developed a novel modality of radiation therapy called FLASH-Radiotherapy that minimizes normal tissue toxicity and eradicates tumors in various organs including the brain, lung and skin and in various species including mice, zebrafish, pigs and cats. Much of our recent work has focused on investigating the entirely different biological response induced after FLASH exposure. Importantly, we have worked to secure the translation of FLASH-RT into clinical trials for human patients with cancer.

Moderator of 4 Sessions

Plenary Sessions
Session Type
Plenary Sessions
Date
30.11.2022
Session Time
08:30 - 09:20
Room
Hall 113-114
FLASH Mechanisms Track
Session Type
FLASH Mechanisms Track
Date
30.11.2022
Session Time
17:40 - 18:40
Room
Hall 129-130
Plenary Sessions
Session Type
Plenary Sessions
Date
01.12.2022
Session Time
18:00 - 18:30
Room
Hall 113-114
Plenary Sessions

Closing Ceremony

Session Type
Plenary Sessions
Date
02.12.2022
Session Time
17:40 - 18:00
Room
Hall 113-114

Presenter of 2 Presentations

Welcome Words

Session Type
Plenary Sessions
Date
30.11.2022
Session Time
08:30 - 09:20
Room
Hall 113-114
Lecture Time
08:30 - 08:45

THE SPARING EFFECT OF FLASH-RT IS MAINTAINED WITH STANDARD FRACTIONATION REGIMEN

Session Type
FLASH in Pre-Clinical and Clinical Settings
Date
02.12.2022
Session Time
10:40 - 11:40
Room
Hall 129-130
Lecture Time
10:40 - 10:49

Abstract

Background and Aims

To date, single dose and hypo-fractionated regimens of whole brain FLASH-RT have been shown to reduce the adverse cognitive and pathological complications routinely observed after conventional dose rate radiotherapy (CONV-RT). In this study, our aim was to evaluate the impact of a standard fractionation regimen on brain function.

Methods

Whole brain 3Gy fractions were delivered daily using CONV and FLASH (eRT6/Oriatron) for two weeks (10x3Gy) and long-term potentiation (LTP) was used to provide direct readouts of neurotransmission. While behavioral testing remains the gold standard for validating the functional impact of cranial irradiation on the brain, electrophysiological assessments and LTP are direct measurements of synaptic plasticity.

Results

Our previous results in pediatric and adult mouse models showed that consistently with neurocognitive preservation, LTP was preserved after FLASH-RT when delivered in single and hypo-fractionated regimens but was significantly inhibited after CONV-RT. In this study, data collected from two regions of the brain (hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex) confirmed significant inhibition of LTP after 10x3Gy CONV-RT. Remarkably, 10x3Gy FLASH-RT and controls were identical and exhibited normal LTP across each brain region.

Conclusions

While further work is ongoing to establish a causal link between LTP and behavioral outcomes and validate the anti-tumor effect, these results provide the first evidence that brain functionality is preserved after standard fractionation with FLASH-RT.

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