With the development of radiotherapeutic oncology

computer technology and medical imaging technology

radiation therapy has made great progress. Research on the impact and the specific mechanism of radiation on tumors has become a central topic in cancer therapy. According to the traditional view

radiation can directly affect the structure of the DNA double helix

which in turn activates DNA damage sensors to induce apoptosis

necrosis

and aging or affects normal mitosis events and ultimately rewires various biological characteristics of neoplasm cells. In addition

irradiation damages subcellular structures

such as the cytoplasmic membrane

endoplasmic reticulum

ribosome

mitochondria

and lysosome of cancer cells to regulate various biological activities of tumor cells. Recent studies have shown that radiation can also change the tumor cell phenotype

immunogenicity and microenvironment

thereby globally altering the biological behavior of cancer cells. In this review

we focus on the effects of therapeutic radiation on the biological features of tumor cells to provide a theoretical basis for combinational therapy and inaugurate a new era in oncology.