Journal of Cancer Therapy | 2021
Regenerative Medicine to Reduce the Side Effects from Radiotherapy Causing Skin Cancer, Fibrosis, Neuropathic Pain and Hair Loss
Abstract
Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are the gold \nstandard treatments used for cancer. Side effects from medical \nradiation can be significant, particularly external beam therapy to the breast, \nand head and neck regions causing fibrosis, \nsecondary skin cancer, hair loss, oral mucositis and neuropathic pain. \nThere is significant psychological stress, depression, anxiety and loss of self \nesteem particularly for female patients. Similar types of space radiation are \nknown to damage the health of astronauts. Current treatments for scarring, \ntissue loss, hair loss and neuropathic pain are a high priority but inadequate. \nRegenerative medicine is a new and comprehensive approach to potentially treat \ncomplex medical conditions from radiation damage. Regenerative medicine \ncombines a systematic evidence based approach with the use of herbal medicine, \nstem cells, peptides and 3D tissue engineering. These fields use sophisticated \ntechnology to identify the respective molecular mechanisms of upregulation and \nprotection of healthy cells and down regulation of cancer cells. The \nregenerative medicine strategies of stem cells and plant polyphenols suggest \nthere is significant potential for rapid clinical translation to alleviate the \nside effects associated with radiotherapy.