Cellular Effects of Radiation Ionizing radiation, like other pharmacological and physical therapeutic tools, occupies an important place in the armamentarium of dermatology at a time when it is receiving scant attention in our training programs. The following represents an attempt to examine the effects of radiation on various cell types which relate to cutaneous disease and speculate on the mechanisms involved. There are mountains of information available regarding responses of various tissues, organisms, tumors, and diseases to assorted types of radiation - some acquired by sophisticated measurements, most based on empiricism and practical experience. The biologic effects of radiation result from damage to the DNA molecule - the breakage of chemical bonds which can kill a cell in hours or days or years.
Radiation has absolutely no stimulatory features.
It only destroys and can do so by either a caustic or a selective effect. The selective effect is the basis for most therapy. I would like to emphasize that I agree with everything Dr. Kingery presented about the beneficial aspects of therapeutic ionizing radiation in dermatology. However, it is possible that we will see an increase in radiation induced skin damage and perhaps in the long term, an increase in radiation induced skin cancer from another use of x-rays. Chronic radiation dermatitis following cardiac catheterization.