The levels of reactions to and effects of ionising radiation are variable between individuals. However, recommended dose limits used for radiological protection are based on assuming an average sensitivity without considering factors that influence the individual reaction to radiation. Similarly, in radiation therapy a therapeutic dose is prescribed based on physical optimisation of the dose distribution according to the anatomical information regarding the localisation and the extent of the tumour and the normal tissue. The routine planning neither takes into account the individually variable spatial and temporal heterogeneity of tumour resistance nor the individually variable tolerance of the normal tissue. A major reason for the lack of individualisation is insufficient knowledge of factors which influence the individual response to radiation and of the possibilities to measure them in a reliable way.

The aim of the workshop is to summarize and review the current knowledge on individual response to radiation. There are many factors that, to different degrees, influence the responses of both normal and cancer tissues. What is the contribution of these factors and how can their impact be assessed? Can they be modulated leading to a safer use of radiation? Is it possible to predict how a person will react to radiation exposure? The answer to these questions requires close collaboration between researchers in the fields of Radiobiology, Physics, Radiation Oncology and Biostatistics. Experts from each field will present their views in an attempt to integrate the different perspectives and come up with new approaches to answering the questions.

We hope that this workshop will continue in the spirit of our previous workshops (2014 - New school versus old school radiobiology, 2016 - The risk of second cancer from therapeutic irradiations, and 2018 - Current challenges of patient re-irradiation) and generate new ideas that will ultimately improve both radiological protection of healthy individuals and the safety and efficacy of treating cancer patients.

Organisers:

Andrzej Wojcik - Centre for Radiation Protection Research, Stockholm University

Iuliana Toma-Dasu - Medical Radiation Physics, Stockholm University and Karolinska Institutet

Lovisa Lundholm - Centre for Radiation Protection Research, Stockholm University

Mattias Hedman - Karolinska University Hospital

Simon Bouffler - Public Health England

Invited speakers - the list is preliminary:

Catharine West – Manchester University, UK

Claudia Rübe - Saarland University, Germany

Kyoji Furukawa - Radiation Effects Research Foundation, Japan

Michael Hauptmann - Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, Germany

Michel Bourguignon -  French Institute of Health and Medical Research, France

Navita Somaiah - The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK

Nobuyuki Hamada - Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, Japan

Preetha Rajaraman - National Cancer Institute, USA

Kristina Viktorsson - Karolinska Institute, Sweden

Gabriel O. Sawakuchi -  MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA

Issam El Naqa - Michigan University Medicine Center, USA

Alexandru Dasu - Skandion Kliniken, Sweden

Michael Story - University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, USA