Histopathological investigation of differences between female and male rats on radioation-induced acute lung toxicity

Radiation-induced acute and chronic lung toxicity is one of the important adverse events that has a negative influence on quality of life. It is widely accepted today that there are important factors such as personal sensibility and genetic differences between patients which effect both treatment response and treatment toxicity. In this study, the influence of gender differences on acute lung toxicity due to radiotherapy is investigated. Accordingly, it is examined if there is a relation between gender and histopathologically proven vasculitis and pneumonia in the lung tissues of male and female rats that are sacrificed 6 weeks after radiotherapy. It is concluded that the gender differences in rats have no effect on lung toxicity.