The association between radioresistance and tumour evolution

Is a tumour's ability to evolve and adapt over time linked to why it becomes resistant to radiotherapy? And if so, what can we do to overcome this radioresistance? In this episode, Dr Christopher Jones and Dr Ashley Nicholls from CRUK RadNet Cambridge at the University of Cambridge explore these questions. They explain why some tumours are resistant to radiation and why some patients are more resistant to treatment than others. They also offer insights into why recurrence happens and how to identify it early in order to treat it more effectively with new technologies. This includes designing new tools to make drug delivery more accurate and new genetic approaches to investigate specific ways to treat cancer in the context of radiation. Chris works predominantly in oesophageal cancer, while Ash studies lung cancer, but both strive to understand why relapse and radioresistance occur to then try to target these cancers with specific drugs or drug combinations to lessen toxicity and help personalise treatment.