Acupuncture for Chronic Radiation-Induced Xerostomia in Head and Neck Cancer: A Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Patients with head and neck cancer who undergo radiotherapy can develop chronic radiation-induced xerostomia. Prior acupuncture studies were single center and rated as having high risk of bias, making it difficult to know the benefits of acupuncture for treating radiation-induced xerostomia. Objective: To compare true acupuncture (TA), sham acupuncture (SA), and standard oral hygiene (SOH) for treating radiation-induced xerostomia. Design, Setting, and Participants: A randomized, blinded, 3-arm, placebo-controlled trial was conducted between July 29, 2013, and June 9, 2021. Data analysis was performed from March 9, 2022, through May 17, 2023. Patients reporting grade 2 or 3 radiation-induced xerostomia 12 months or more postradiotherapy for head and neck cancer were recruited from community-based cancer centers across the US that were part of the Wake Forest National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program Research Base. Participants had received bilateral radiotherapy with no history of xerostomia. Interventions: Participants received SOH and were randomized to TA, SA, or SOH only. Participants in the TA and SA cohorts were treated 2 times per week for 4 weeks. Those experiencing a minor response received another 4 weeks of treatment. Main Outcomes and Measures: Patient-reported outcomes for xerostomia (Xerostomia Questionnaire, primary outcome) and quality of life (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General) were collected at baseline, 4 (primary time point), 8, 12, and 26 weeks. All analyses were intention to treat. Results: A total of 258 patients (201 men [77.9%]; mean [SD] age, 65.0 [9.16] years), participated from 33 sites across 13 states. Overall, 86 patients were assigned to each study arm. Mean (SD) years from diagnosis was 4.21 (3.74) years, 67.1% (n = 173) had stage IV disease. At week 4, Xerostomia Questionnaire scores revealed significant between-group differences, with lower Xerostomia Questionnaire scores with TA vs SOH (TA: 50.6; SOH: 57.3; difference, -6.67; 95% CI, -11.08 to -2.27; P = .003), and differences between TA and SA (TA: 50.6; SA: 55.0; difference, -4.41; 95% CI, -8.62 to -0.19; P = .04) yet did not reach statistical significance after adjustment for multiple comparisons. There was no significant difference between SA and SOH. Group differences in Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General scores revealed statistically significant group differences at week 4, with higher scores with TA vs SOH (TA: 101.6; SOH: 97.7; difference, 3.91; 95% CI, 1.43-6.38; P = .002) and at week 12, with higher scores with TA vs SA (TA: 102.1; SA: 98.4; difference, 3.64; 95% CI, 1.10-6.18; P = .005) and TA vs SOH (TA: 102.1; SOH: 97.4; difference, 4.61; 95% CI, 1.99-7.23; P = .001). Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this trial suggest that TA was more effective in treating chronic radiation-induced xerostomia 1 or more years after the end of radiotherapy than SA or SOH. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02589938.

Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Following Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Radiation Cystitis: Early Results From the Multicenter Registry for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.

PURPOSE: Our purpose was to determine changes in patient-reported hematuria and urinary symptoms after hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) treatment for radiation cystitis (RC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed prospectively collected data from the Multicenter Registry for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Consortium accumulated within a week of beginning and ending HBO2. Measures included the modified Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) Hematuria Scale, Urinary Distress Inventory Short Form, and EuroQol Five Dimension Five Level instrument. RTOG hematuria and Urinary Distress Inventory Short Form scores were compared using the sign test. Logistic regression was used to evaluate characteristics associated with hematuria improvement. RESULTS: A total of 470 registry patients had RC. The median age, number of HBO2 sessions, and years after radiation were 73 (IQR 12) years, 39 (IQR 10) sessions, and 5 (IQR 8) years, respectively. Eighty-four percent of patients (393/470) had prostate cancer‒related radiation. EuroQol Five Dimension Five Level scores improved from 0.83 (IQR 0.14) to 0.85 (IQR 0.22; P < .001. Three hundred seventy patients had complete RTOG hematuria scores that improved from 2 (IQR 2) to 0 (IQR 2; P < .001. Two hundred forty-six patients had complete Urinary Distress Inventory Short Form ratings that decreased from 33.3 (IQR 44) to 22.2 (IQR 33; P < .001). Regression analysis of those with visible hematuria before HBO2 showed lower improvement odds associated with higher HBO2 hematuria scores (odds ratio [OR] 0.44, 95% CI 0.26-0.73; P < .01), a smoking history (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.21-0.92; P = .03), or a nonprostate cancer history (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.10-0.99; P = .05). CONCLUSIONS: HBO2 for RC improved reported hematuria, urinary function, and quality of life. Higher baseline hematuria scores, smoking, and nonprostate cancer history were associated with lower odds of hematuria improvement.

3D skin bioprinting as promising therapeutic strategy for radiation-associated skin injuries.

Both cutaneous radiation injury and radiation combined injury (RCI) could have serious skin traumas, which are collectively referred to as radiation-associated skin injuries in this paper. These two types of skin injuries require special managements of wounds, and the therapeutic effects still need to be further improved. Cutaneous radiation injuries are common in both radiotherapy patients and victims of radioactive source accidents, which could lead to skin necrosis and ulcers in serious conditions. At present, there are still many challenges in management of cutaneous radiation injuries including early diagnosis, lesion assessment, and treatment prognosis. Radiation combined injuries are special and important issues in severe nuclear accidents, which often accompanied by serious skin traumas. Mass victims of RCI would be the focus of public health concern. Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting, as a versatile and favourable technique, offers effective approaches to fabricate biomimetic architectures with bioactivity, which provides potentials for resolve the challenges in treating radiation-associated skin injuries. Combining with the cutting-edge advances in 3D skin bioprinting, the authors analyse the damage characteristics of skin wounds in both cutaneous radiation injury and RCI and look forward to the potential value of 3D skin bioprinting for the treatments of radiation-associated skin injuries.

Mechanisms and protective measures for radiation-induced brachial plexus nerve injury.

Radiation therapy is a common treatment modality for patients with malignant tumors of the head and neck, chest and axilla. However, radiotherapy inevitably causes damage to normal tissues at the irradiated site, among which damage to the brachial plexus nerve(BP) is a serious adverse effect in patients receiving radiation therapy in the scapular or axillary regions, with clinical manifestations including abnormal sensation, neuropathic pain, and dyskinesia, etc. These adverse effects seriously reduce the living quality of patients and pose obstacles to their prognosis. Therefore, it is important to elucidate the mechanism of radiation induced brachial plexus injury (RIBP) which remains unclear. Current studies have shown that the pathways of radiation-induced BP injury can be divided into two categories: direct injury and indirect injury, and the indirect injury is closely related to the inflammatory response, microvascular damage, cytokine production and other factors causing radiation-induced fibrosis. In this review, we summarize the underlying mechanisms of RIBP occurrence and possible effective methods to prevent and treat RIBP.

The dilemma of radiation necrosis from diagnosis to treatment in the management of brain metastases.

Radiation therapy with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or whole brain radiation therapy is a mainstay of treatment for patients with brain metastases. The use of SRS in the management of brain metastases is becoming increasingly common and provides excellent local control. Cerebral radiation necrosis (RN) is a late complication of radiation treatment that can be seen months to years following treatment and is often indistinguishable from tumor progression on conventional imaging. In this review article, we explore risk factors associated with the development of radiation necrosis, advanced imaging modalities used to aid in diagnosis, and potential treatment strategies to manage side effects.

Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cell Therapy Improves Salivary Flow Rate in Radiation-Induced Salivary Gland Hypofunction in Preclinical in vivo Models: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) have been suggested for salivary gland (SG) restoration following radio-induced salivary gland damage. This study aimed to determine the safety and effectiveness of MSC therapy on radio-induced SG damage and hypofunction in preclinical in vivo studies. METHODS: PubMed and EMBASE were systematically searched for preclinical in vivo interventional studies evaluating efficacy and safety of MSC treatment following radio-induced salivary gland damage published before 10th of January 2022. The primary endpoint was salivary flow rate (SFR) evaluated in a meta-analysis. The study protocol was published and registered on PROSPERO ( www.crd.ac.uk/prospero ), registration number CRD42021227336. RESULTS: A total of 16 preclinical in vivo studies were included for qualitative analysis (858 experimental animals) and 13 in the meta-analysis (404 experimental animals). MSCs originated from bone marrow (four studies), adipose tissue (10 studies) and salivary gland tissue (two studies) and were administered intravenously (three studies), intra-glandularly (11 studies) or subcutaneously (one study). No serious adverse events were reported. The overall effect on SFR was significantly increased with a standardized mean difference (SMD) of 6.99 (95% CI: 2.55-11.42). Studies reported improvements in acinar tissue, vascular areas and paracrine factors. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, this systematic review and meta-analysis showed a significant effect of MSC therapy for restoring SG functioning and regenerating SG tissue following radiotherapy in preclinical in vivo studies without serious adverse events. MSC therapy holds significant therapeutic potential in the treatment of radio-induced xerostomia, but comprehensive, randomized, clinical trials in humans are required to ascertain their efficacy in a clinical setting.

Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cell Therapy for Radiation-Induced Xerostomia in Previous Head and Neck Cancer Patients: A Phase II Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: No effective treatment exists for radiation-induced xerostomia. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (ASC) injection, relative to placebo, on salivary gland function in patients with radiation-induced xerostomia. PATIENT AND METHODS: In this single-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, patients with hyposalivation were randomised to receive ultrasound-guided injections of allogeneic ASCs or placebo into the submandibular glands. Patients were followed for 4 months. We evaluated unstimulated whole salivary flow rate (UWS), stimulated salivary flow rate, and patient-reported outcomes. Adverse events were recorded and immune response determined in blood samples. RESULTS: We enrolled 120 patients. ASC treatment resulted in a statistically significant UWS increase of 0.04 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.02-0.06] mL/min (38%) compared with pretreatment baseline whereas placebo treatment did not cause a significant increase [0.01 (95% CI, -0.01 to 0.04) mL/min (21%)]. Both the ASC and placebo treatment yielded notable symptom reductions, with dry mouth decreasing by 13.6 and 7.7 units, sticky saliva decreased by 14.8 and 9.3 units, swallowing difficulties decreased by 7.9 and 8.0 units, and the summary score of the Xerostomia Questionnaire decreased 5.9 and 5.1 units for the ASC and placebo arms, respectively. We found no statistically significant group difference between the ASC and placebo arms for any of the outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: We could not confirm superiority of the ASC relative to placebo. ASC therapy significantly improved UWS in previous patients with head and neck cancer, whereas placebo resulted in an insignificant increase.

Efficacy of nonpharmacological interventions for severe radiation-induced oral mucositis among head and neck cancer patients: A network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of different nonpharmacological treatments for severe radiation-induced oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer. BACKGROUND: Radiation-induced oral mucositis is highly prevalent in patients with head and neck cancer. Current medications for radiation-induced oral mucositis are limited in effectiveness and susceptible to side effects, and while there is an increasing adoption of nonpharmacological interventions, the optimal one remains unclear. DESIGN: Systematic review and network meta-analysis based on the PRISMA-NMA guidelines. METHODS: Six databases were searched. Two authors independently performed the literature screening, data extraction and methodological quality assessment of the included studies. Traditional pairwise meta-analysis was performed by R Studio. A network meta-analysis was then conducted to assess the effects of nonpharmacological interventions for severe radiation-induced oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer. RESULTS: Fifty-two studies involving seven types of nonpharmacological interventions were enrolled. The network meta-analysis indicated that natural plant-based therapies might be the most effective, health education interventions might be the second most effective, and honey might be the third most effective interventions for reducing the incidence of severe radiation-induced oral mucositis. For reducing the incidence of severe oral mucositis-related pain, the pairwise meta-analysis showed that only natural plant-based therapies and health education interventions were effective. CONCLUSIONS: Nonpharmacological interventions are effective in the management of severe radiation-induced oral mucositis among patients with head and neck cancer. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Nonpharmacological interventions are a category of safe and effective adjunctive therapies that should be encouraged in clinical practice. TRIAL REGISTRATION DETAILS: CRD42023400745.

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Repairs Radiation Enteritis Through Modulating the Gut Microbiota-Mediated Tryptophan Metabolism.

Radiation enteritis is a common complication of abdominal and pelvic radiotherapy. Several previous studies showed that fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) could alleviate radiation enteritis. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of FMT in alleviating radiation enteritis and explored the mechanisms by multi-omics approaches. Briefly, C57BL/6J mice were subjected to 9 Gy irradiation to the localized abdominal field, and randomized received FMT from healthy donor mice or saline. H&E staining of harvested small intestine showed FMT decreased epithelial injury. Radiation-induced microbiota dysbiosis, characterized by a decrease in beneficial bacteria Lactobacillaceae and Lachnospiraceae, while these bacteria were restored by FMT. Fecal metabolomics analysis revealed that FMT modulated metabolic dysregulation. Two tryptophan pathway metabolites, indole-3-acetaldehyde and N-Acetyl-5-hydroxytryptamine were decreased after irradiation, whereas these metabolites showed a pronounced recovery in mice receiving FMT. Proteomics analysis of small intestine indicated that radiation enteritis triggered immune-inflammatory responses, which were potentially mitigated by FMT. In 21 patients receiving pelvic radiotherapy for cervical cancer, those who developed enteritis (n = 15) had higher abundance in Lachnospiraceae. Moreover, Indole-3-acetaldehyde was reduced after irradiation. These findings provide insights into the therapeutic effects of FMT in radiation enteritis and highlight Lachnospiraceae and the tryptophan metabolite, Indole-3-acetaldehyde may protect against radiation enteritis.

Cutaneous Radiation Injuries: REAC/TS Clinical Experience.

The Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site (REAC/TS) is one of the US Department of Energy (DOE)/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Nuclear Emergency Response Team (NEST) assets and has been responding to radiological incidents since 1976. REAC/TS is in the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE). A critical part of the REAC/TS mission is to provide emergency response, advice, and consultation on injuries and illnesses caused from ionizing radiation. Fortunately, radiation injuries are not frequent, but when they occur, they are more likely to be cutaneous radiation injuries (CRI) or internal contamination. In this paper, we will review selected cases from the REAC/TS experience in order to illustrate cutaneous patterns of injury and treatment options.

Advances in injectable hydrogels for radiation-induced heart disease.

Radiological heart damage (RIHD) is damage caused by unavoidable irradiation of the heart during chest radiotherapy, with a long latency period and a progressively increasing proportion of delayed cardiac damage due to conventional doses of chest radiotherapy. There is a risk of inducing diseases such as acute/chronic pericarditis, myocarditis, delayed myocardial fibrosis and damage to the cardiac conduction system in humans, which can lead to myocardial infarction or even death in severe cases. This paper details the pathogenesis of RIHD and gives potential targets for treatment at the molecular and cellular level, avoiding the drawbacks of high invasiveness and immune rejection due to drug therapy, medical device implantation and heart transplantation. Injectable hydrogel therapy has emerged as a minimally invasive tissue engineering therapy to provide necessary mechanical support to the infarcted myocardium and to act as a carrier for various bioactive factors and cells to improve the cellular microenvironment in the infarcted area and induce myocardial tissue regeneration. Therefore, this paper combines bioactive factors and cellular therapeutic mechanisms with injectable hydrogels, presents recent advances in the treatment of cardiac injury after RIHD with different injectable gels, and summarizes the therapeutic potential of various types of injectable hydrogels as a potential solution.

Targeting interleukin-17 in radiation-induced toxicity and cancer progression.

Recent strategies to combine chemoradiation with immunotherapy to treat locally advanced lung cancer have improved five-year survival outcomes. However, collateral toxicity to healthy lungs, esophagus, cardiac, and vascular tissue continues to limit the effectiveness of curative-intent thoracic radiation (tRT). It is necessary to gain a deeper comprehension of the fundamental mechanisms underlying inflammation-mediated radiation-induced damage to normal cells. Several cells have been linked in published studies to the release of cytokines and chemokines after radiation therapy. Several inflammatory mediators, such as IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, and TGF-ß, also cause the production of Interleukin-17 (IL-17), a cytokine that is essential for maintaining immunological homeostasis and plays a role in the toxicity caused by radiation therapy. However, currently, the role of IL-17 in RT-induced toxicity in conjunction with cancer progression remains poorly understood. This review provides an overview of the most recent data from the literature implicating IL-17 in radiation-mediated tissue injuries and the efficacy of tRT in lung cancer, as well as its potential as a therapeutic target for interventions to reduce the side effects of tRT with curative intent and to boost an anti-tumor immune response to improve treatment outcomes. IL-17 may also act as a biomarker for predicting the effectiveness of a given treatment as well as the toxicity caused by tRT.

Radiation-Induced Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Potential Management.

The cochlear apparatus is one of the major organs at risk when considering radiation therapy (RT) for brain, head, and neck tumors. Radiation oncologists currently consider mean dose constraints of <35 Gy for conventionally fractioned radiation therapy (RT), <4 Gy for single fraction stereotactic radiosurgery, and <17.1 or 25 Gy for 3- or 5-fraction stereotactic radiosurgery, respectively, as the standard of care. Indeed, dose adjustments are made in the setting of concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy or when prioritizing tumor coverage during treatment planning. Despite guidelines, in many patients, RT to the cochlea may still cause sensorineural hearing loss through progressive degeneration and ossification of the inner ear. There are several audiologic and otolaryngologic interventions for incident RT-induced hearing loss, including hearing aids, cochlear implants, or, in the context of vestibular schwannoma due to neurofibromatosis type 2, auditory brain stem implantation. Cochlear implants are the most effective at restoring hearing and improving quality of life for those with an intact cochlear nerve. An early multidisciplinary approach is essential to optimally manage RT-induced hearing loss, and this topic discussion serves as a guide for radiation oncologists on cochlear dosimetric considerations as well as how to address potential RT-induced adverse effects.

A Case of Local Radiation Injury in the Creation of Lichtenburg Art.

Despite the fact that there may be no immediate outward signs of tissue destruction, the ultimate damage caused by radiation exposure is immediate and may be predicted based on the source, length of exposure, and type of tissue to which the radiation is exposed. Although predictable, difficulty in caring for these patients stems from the multiple sources of radiation to which people may be exposed, the various parts of the body exposed, the dose involved, the rarity of the condition, and a general lack of knowledge on the part of treating physicians. Due to these factors, there is significant variation in treatment recommendations. Additionally, knowledge about how to treat these injuries is limited and often very difficult to access, even among healthcare professionals. This report highlights the first known case of localized radiation injury secondary to the utilization of a linear accelerator to generate Lichtenberg art. In this case, an accident occurred while working with a retired accelerator and led to severe local radiation injury to this patient's bilateral hands, prompting a series of searches and inquiries as to the next best step in management. From consulting clinicians at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who are experts in managing radiation injury to the eventual need for digit amputation, this case highlights the profound lack of knowledge and accessible resources for clinicians and patients facing localized radiation injury. This is a noninterventional observation case report without the requirement of ethical approval.

[Pathogenesis, diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for radiation-related caries].

Radiation-related caries is a common complication following head and neck tumor radiotherapy. It is a rapidly progressing and widespread destructive disease of tooth tissue after radiotherapy, which greatly affects the life quality of patients after radiotherapy. This article elucidates research progress in the pathogenic mechanisms, diagnosis and caries assessment, treatment, as well as prevention strategies for radiation-related caries, aiming to provide references for clinical prevention and treatment of radiation-related caries.

Imaging of the Posttreatment Head and Neck: Expected Findings and Potential Complications.

Interpretation of posttreatment imaging findings in patients with head and neck cancer can pose a substantial challenge. Malignancies in this region are often managed through surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and newer approaches like immunotherapy. After treatment, patients may experience various expected changes, including mucositis, soft-tissue inflammation, laryngeal edema, and salivary gland inflammation. Imaging techniques such as CT, MRI, and PET scans help differentiate these changes from tumor recurrence. Complications such as osteoradionecrosis, chondroradionecrosis, and radiation-induced vasculopathy can arise because of radiation effects. Radiation-induced malignancies may occur in the delayed setting. This review article emphasizes the importance of posttreatment surveillance imaging to ensure proper care of patients with head and neck cancer and highlights the complexities in distinguishing between expected treatment effects and potential complications. Keywords: CT, MR Imaging, Radiation Therapy, Ear/Nose/Throat, Head/Neck, Nervous-Peripheral, Bone Marrow, Calvarium, Carotid Arteries, Jaw, Face, Larynx © RSNA, 2024.

Functionality of bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells derived from head and neck cancer patients - A FDA-IND enabling study regarding MSC-based treatments for radiation-induced xerostomia.

PURPOSE: Salivary dysfunction is a significant side effect of radiation therapy for head and neck cancer (HNC). Preliminary data suggests that mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) can improve salivary function. Whether MSCs from HNC patients who have completed chemoradiation are functionally similar to those from healthy patients is unknown. We performed a pilot clinical study to determine whether bone marrow-derived MSCs [MSC(M)] from HNC patients could be used for the treatment of RT-induced salivary dysfunction. METHODS: An IRB-approved pilot clinical study was undertaken on HNC patients with xerostomia who had completed treatment two or more years prior. Patients underwent iliac crest bone marrow aspirate and MSC(M) were isolated and cultured. Culture-expanded MSC(M) were stimulated with IFNγ and cryopreserved prior to reanimation and profiling for functional markers by flow cytometry and ELISA. MSC(M) were additionally injected into mice with radiation-induced xerostomia and the changes in salivary gland histology and salivary production were examined. RESULTS: A total of six subjects were enrolled. MSC(M) from all subjects were culture expanded to > 20 million cells in a median of 15.5 days (range 8-20 days). Flow cytometry confirmed that cultured cells from HNC patients were MSC(M). Functional flow cytometry demonstrated that these IFNγ-stimulated MSC(M) acquired an immunosuppressive phenotype. IFNγ-stimulated MSC(M) from HNC patients were found to express GDNF, WNT1, and R-spondin 1 as well as pro-angiogenesis and immunomodulatory cytokines. In mice, IFNγ-stimulated MSC(M) injection after radiation decreased the loss of acinar cells, decreased the formation of fibrosis, and increased salivary production. CONCLUSIONS: MSC (M) from previously treated HNC patients can be expanded for auto-transplantation and are functionally active. Furthermore IFNγ-stimulated MSC(M) express proteins implicated in salivary gland regeneration. This study provides preliminary data supporting the feasibility of using autologous MSC(M) from HNC patients to treat RT-induced salivary dysfunction.

Radiation injury and gut microbiota-based treatment.

The exposure to either medical sources or accidental radiation can cause varying degrees of radiation injury (RI). RI is a common disease involving multiple human body parts and organs, yet effective treatments are currently limited. Accumulating evidence suggests gut microbiota are closely associated with the development and prevention of various RI. This article summarizes 10 common types of RI and their possible mechanisms. It also highlights the changes and potential microbiota-based treatments for RI, including probiotics, metabolites, and microbiota transplantation. Additionally, a 5P-Framework is proposed to provide a comprehensive strategy for managing RI.

Cytokine, chemokine alterations and immune cell infiltration in Radiation-induced lung injury: Implications for prevention and management.

Radiation therapy is one of the primary treatments for thoracic malignancies, with radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) emerging as its most prevalent complication. RILI encompasses early-stage radiation pneumonitis (RP) and the subsequent development of radiation pulmonary fibrosis (RPF). During radiation treatment, not only are tumor cells targeted, but normal tissue cells, including alveolar epithelial cells and vascular endothelial cells, also sustain damage. Within the lungs, ionizing radiation boosts the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species across various cell types. This elevation precipitates the release of cytokines and chemokines, coupled with the infiltration of inflammatory cells, culminating in the onset of RP. This pulmonary inflammatory response can persist, spanning a duration from several months to years, ultimately progressing to RPF. This review aims to explore the alterations in cytokine and chemokine release and the influx of immune cells post-ionizing radiation exposure in the lungs, offering insights for the prevention and management of RILI.