Mitigation of Radiation Pneumonitis and Fibrosis

Summary

This project will test the effect of enalapril to mitigate the lung damage that can occur as a side effect of radiation therapy for lung cancer or other intrathoracic cancers. Thousands of Veterans develop lung cancer every year, and are treated by radiation therapy. Studies of lung radiation injury in laboratory animals show that with enalapril, investigators can significantly reduce the severity of radiation injury to the lung. Enalapril is FDA approved and in common use for treatment of hypertension, kidney disease, and heart failure. These studies will advance that work to human use. Successful mitigation of lung radiation damage will improve the quality of life in Veterans and non-Veterans who are treated for lung cancer by radiation, and may also improve cure rates of radiation therapy for lung cancer.

Timeline

Start

2013-11-01

Primary completion

2018-04-01

Completion

2018-04-01

Publications

• Results Kharofa J, Cohen EP, Tomic R, Xiang Q, Gore E. Decreased risk of radiation pneumonitis with incidental concurrent use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and thoracic radiation therapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2012 Sep 1;84(1):238-43. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2011.11.013. Epub 2012 Jan 31.
• Results Citrin DE, Prasanna PGS, Walker AJ, Freeman ML, Eke I, Barcellos-Hoff MH, Arankalayil MJ, Cohen EP, Wilkins RC, Ahmed MM, Anscher MS, Movsas B, Buchsbaum JC, Mendonca MS, Wynn TA, Coleman CN. Radiation-Induced Fibrosis: Mechanisms and Opportunities to Mitigate. Report of an NCI Workshop, September 19, 2016. Radiat Res. 2017 Jul;188(1):1-20. doi: 10.1667/RR14784.1. Epub 2017 May 10.

Drugs

Indications