Researchers lack practical methods to measure and predict radiation damage to bone marrow stem cells in clinical settings

Oncologists and radiation therapists struggle to accurately assess radio-sensitivity of hematopoietic stem cells within bone marrow niches during cancer treatment planning, leading to either under-treatment that allows cancer progression or over-treatment causing severe bone marrow toxicity and patient mortality. Current dosimetry models fail to account for the protective microenvironment of bone marrow niches, forcing clinicians to use conservative estimates that compromise treatment efficacy.