First report on the patient database for the identification of the genetic pathways involved in patients over-reacting to radiotherapy: GENEPI-II

Background: Identifying the most radiosensitive patient group would have huge clinical implications. Methods: A tissue bank containing skin fibroblasts, whole blood, lymphocytes, plasma and lymphoblastoid cell lines from clinically radiation hypersensitive patients was established from patients in Europe and Canada. Over-reacting individuals had CTCAE3.0 severe acute side effects grade 2 or more occurring at very low radiation doses where these side effects are unexpected or grade 3-4 lasting more than 4 weeks after the end of radiotherapy and/or requiring surgical intervention at any time or severe late side effects grade 3-4. Results: Eleven patients have been identified with a mean age of 61.6 ± 8.5 years (range 49-74). Two patients were male, 9 female. One patient had non-small cell lung cancer, 6 breast cancer, 2 head and neck cancer, one lymphoma and one meningioma. The mean follow-up time after radiotherapy was 1658 ± 1048 days (range 84-3752). Conclusions: The establishment of an international tissue bank of the rare group of patients with extreme hypersensitivity to radiotherapy was proven to be feasible and should enable in-depth molecular studies.