Research progress on the bystander effect of radiotherapy in vivo

Extensive research on the mechanism of tumor radiotherapy shows that the bystander effect induced by radiation therapy in vivo plays an important role in tumor therapy and prognosis. The induction of the bystander effect is mainly related to the transmission of oxidative stress signals, DNA damage, and activation of the immune system caused by radiotherapy in vivo. Therefore, the intervention of the bystander effect could reduce injury on normal tissue and improve radiotherapy efficiency. This paper summarizes the research progress on the bystander effect of radiotherapy and its molecular mechanism in recent years in vivo. Key words: Radiotherapy; Reactive oxygen species; DNA damage; Bystander effects