Dose-Response (Oct 2013)

The Historical Use of Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Sinus Infections

  • Edward J. Calabrese Ph.D.,
  • Gaurav Dhawan MPH

DOI
https://doi.org/10.2203/dose-response.13-004.calabrese
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11

Abstract

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The aim of this paper is to assess the historical role of radiotherapy in the treatment of sinus infections. This assessment involved a literature-based review of how radiotherapy was used to treat sinus infections in the first half of the 20 th century. Low doses of x-rays were used with considerable success to treat nearly 3,000 patients of sinus infection in a span of 12 years with these cases being reported in leading medical journals as case studies. The mechanism of x-ray induced reduction of inflammation and increased tissue repair is uncertain but appears to be related to the development of a multifactorial and integrative anti-inflammatory phenotype.