Possible Role of MTOR Signaling Pathway in Radiation Dermatitis

A retrospective study conducted at the Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital in Southern Taiwan investigated the role of the mTOR signaling pathway in radiation dermatitis, a common side effect of radiotherapy. The study included 9 male patients, aged around 62.1 years, diagnosed with radiation dermatitis between 2011 and 2022. The study found that S6K1 protein, a downstream substrate of the mTOR pathway, showed stronger expression in radiation dermatitis than in normal skin control and inflammatory skin control. This expression appeared to be associated with the size of the clinical ulcer, although statistical significance was not reached. The study concluded that the mTOR signaling pathway may be involved in the pathophysiology of radiation dermatitis, but more cases are needed to validate this finding.