Stem Cell Therapy to Reduce Radiation-Induced Normal Tissue Damage

Normal tissue damage after radiotherapy is still a major problem in cancer treatment. Stem cell therapy may provide a means to reduce radiation-induced side effects and improve the quality of life of patients. This review discusses the current status in stem cell research with respect to their potential to reduce radiation toxicity. A number of different types of stem cells are being investigated for their potential to treat a variety of disorders. Their current status, localization, characterization, isolation, and potential in stem cell-based therapies are addressed. Although clinical adult stem cell research is still at an early stage, preclinical experiments show the potential these therapies may have. Based on the major advances made in this field, stem cell–based therapy has great potential to allow prevention or treatment of normal tissue damage after radiotherapy.