Can Cancer Be Treated with Low Doses of Radiation

Abstract

Strong sources of radiation became available in the 1950s. Since then, intense ionizing beams have been employed against cancer to destroy or shrink tumors. Today, nearly all radiation treatments for cancer apply high doses to local regions of the body. It is generally believed that radiation in any amount will only damage cells and that the mutated cells could become cancers. However, a large amount of research over the past century on the effects of low doses of ionizing radiation on biological organisms has shown beneficial health effects, called hormesis. Moreover, there is considerable evidence that total or half-body low-dose irradiation may cure cancer or significantly delay its progression, leading to a reduction in cancer mortality without symptomatic side effects. This paper reviews reports of successful applications of lowdose irradiation (LDI) for cancer therapy and urges physicians to carry out controlled clinical studies.