Patent ID: 7963902

Claim:
A method of protecting at least one non-neoplastic cell of a subject currently or previously suffering from a neoplastic disease from the harmful effects of radiation or chemotherapeutic agents used to treat the disease, said method comprising: exposing at least one non-neoplastic cell of the subject that is sensitive to damage by radiation or at least one chemotherapeutic agent to a pre-determined low dose of radiation; wherein said exposing does not comprise exposing at least one target neoplastic cells or target non-neoplastic cell to the low dose of radiation; waiting a pre-defined period of time that is between about one hour and about 48 hours; and exposing both the sensitive non-neoplastic cell or cells and the target cell or cells to a cell-damaging dose of radiation or a cell-damaging dose of one or more chemotherapeutic agents; wherein the first exposing results in protection of the non-neoplastic cell or cells from the harmful effects of the subsequent dose of radiation or chemotherapeutic agent or agents.