The use of angiotensin II receptor antagonists to increase the efficacy of radiotherapy in cancer treatment.

Angiotensin II receptor antagonists inhibit various signaling pathways involved in the regulation of inflammation, apoptosis and angiogenesis. Radiation-induced activation of a proinflammatory cytokine network has been shown to mediate normal tissue injury induced by ionizing radiation in cancer patients, resulting in serious side effects. Hence, not only do angiotensin II receptor antagonists block inflammatory signaling both in cancer cells and in normal cells, but they are also effective in the treatment of cancer by inhibiting tumor progression, vascularization and metastasis. This review addresses the role of angiotensin II inhibitors in cancer therapy, and their potential to increase therapeutical index by protecting normal cells and sensitizing tumor cells to radiotherapy.