Does radiation-induced lymphocytopenia matter? Developing a radiotherapy dosimetric strategy for immune preservation and improved survival

Mohammed Abdul-Latif¹, John Conibear², Niluja Thiruthaneeswaran^{3

4}, Yat Man Tsang^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, Northwood, UK.
² Barts Cancer Centre, St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London, UK.
³ Radiation Oncology Network, Western Sydney Local Health District, Wentworthville, New South Wales, Australia.
⁴ Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
⁵ Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
⁶ Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Editorial

Mohammed Abdul-Latif et al. BMJ Oncol. 2025.

. 2025 Mar 24;4(1):e000745.

doi: 10.1136/bmjonc-2025-000745. eCollection 2025.

Mohammed Abdul-Latif¹, John Conibear², Niluja Thiruthaneeswaran^{3

4}, Yat Man Tsang^{5

6}

¹ Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, Northwood, UK.
² Barts Cancer Centre, St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London, UK.
³ Radiation Oncology Network, Western Sydney Local Health District, Wentworthville, New South Wales, Australia.
⁴ Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
⁵ Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
⁶ Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

No abstract available

Keywords: Head and neck cancer; Immunocompetence; Radiotherapy.

Conflict of interest statement

None declared.

Whole-body integral dose and post-radiotherapy lymphocytopaenia in solid tumours.
Joseph N, Alagiyawanna L, Ruwanpura T, Gunasekera S, Ruvinda L, Madushan S, Choudhury A. Joseph N, et al. BMJ Oncol. 2025 Feb 25;4(1):e000522. doi: 10.1136/bmjonc-2024-000522. eCollection 2025. BMJ Oncol. 2025. PMID: 40046832 Free PMC article.

1. Delaney GP, Barton MB. Evidence-based Estimates of the Demand for Radiotherapy. Clin Oncol. 2015;27:70–6. doi: 10.1016/j.clon.2014.10.005. - DOI - PubMed
1. Hanahan D, Weinberg RA. Hallmarks of cancer: the next generation. Cell. 2011;144:646–74. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2011.02.013. - DOI - PubMed
1. Gutierrez-Dalmau A, Campistol JM. Immunosuppressive therapy and malignancy in organ transplant recipients: a systematic review. Drugs (Abingdon Engl) 2007;67:1167–98. doi: 10.2165/00003495-200767080-00006. - DOI - PubMed
1. Venkatesulu BP, Mallick S, Lin SH, et al. A systematic review of the influence of radiation-induced lymphopenia on survival outcomes in solid tumors. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2018;123:42–51. doi: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2018.01.003. - DOI - PubMed
1. Wang X, Wang P, Zhao Z, et al. A review of radiation-induced lymphopenia in patients with esophageal cancer: an immunological perspective for radiotherapy. Ther Adv Med Oncol. 2020;12 doi: 10.1177/1758835920926822. - DOI - PMC - PubMed