The RBE of low-LET radiations Reply

摘要

We agree that mechanistic modelling should provide additional evidence concerning the RBE dependence on linear energy transfer for low-LET radiations. We did not include such modelling in our paper because few publications have examined the dose-effect relationship for double strand breaks (DSBs) in human cells using a mechanistic modelling approach. It is widely accepted that unrepaired or misrepaired DNA DSBs lead to the formation of chromosome aberrations. Hence, we did not think that it was necessary to mention mechanistic modelling based on DSBs, because there are extensive data on radiation-induced chromosome aberrations that have been used over many years and cited by bodies such as ICRP (2007) and BEIR VII (2006).