Radiotherapy can treat cancer only because normal healthy cells have the ability to repair the damage caused by radiation.
Biological pathways repair damage by ionizing radiation and by oxidative stress is in the environment.
Radiation works by causing oxidative stress and radiation damage is repaired in normal cells.
It is suggested that because of genetic diversity individuals would manifest variation in the ability to heal from radiation damage.
TGF beta-one gene is a cytokine that promotes fibroblasts to lay down collagen.
C-509T allele is found in the promoter region of the TGF beta-one gene.
It was found that three years after radiation treatment to the breast that approximately 40% of C-509T positive women experience post radiation breast fibrosis, compared to 4 percent of C-509E negative women.
It is anticipated that if one does not heal well after surgery, it could indicate that one would not heal well from radiation.
In breast radiation patients who receive a boost experience increased fibrosis, especially with the 509T allele.