While radiation therapy is a gold standard for tumor control, it also kills the healthy tissues surrounding tumors. With more than 50% of cancer patients receiving radiation therapy, scientists are constantly searching for new approaches to decrease dose to areas surrounding the tumor while successfully killing cancerous cells to improve clinical outcomes. Recent studies suggest that a new treatment approach, FLASH radiotherapy, could be promising for the future of cancer treatment. FLASH delivers ultra-high doses of radiation to the area of interest. These ultra-high doses create hypoxic environments which allow for less healthy tissue to be affected by radiation. Multiple studies have tested FLASH radiotherapy on animals and shown positive results in relation to both cancer killing effects and tissue sparing abilities. These results helped to ensure the safety of the technique for humans. To date, there has only been one clinical trial of FLASH radiotherapy. Data was collected from these studies to determine the effects of FLASH radiotherapy in relation to tumor control compared to its tissue sparing abilities. ​

Lindsey would like to thank their faculty sponsors, Kathy Kienstra and Sherry Bicklein, for their support of this project.