[Lani]

make whatever amount of radiation is given work more efficiently ie," more kill for your buck"

In addition, there is a combination treatment which also seems to make radiation work more efficiently AND protects the lung from post-radiation scarring

You might want to print out the abstracts from some of these:


1:
Related Articles, LinksJellett L, Harrison C, McAleese J.

Letter to editor. Re: "Effect of concomitant use of pentoxifylline (PTX) and alpha-tocopherol with radiotherapy on the clinical outcome of patients with stage IIIB non-small cell lung cancer".
Med Oncol. 2007;24(3):360. No abstract available.
PMID: 17873316 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
2:
Related Articles, LinksMisirlioglu CH, Demirkasimoglu T, Kucukplakci B, Sanri E, Altundag K.

Pentoxifylline and alpha-tocopherol in prevention of radiation-induced lung toxicity in patients with lung cancer.
Med Oncol. 2007;24(3):308-11.
PMID: 17873306 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
3:
Related Articles, LinksBese NS, Munzuroglu F, Uslu B, Arbak S, Yesiladali G, Sut N, Altug T, Ober A.

Vitamin E protects against the development of radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats.
Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol). 2007 May;19(4):260-4. Epub 2007 Jan 12.
PMID: 17433970 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
4:
Related Articles, LinksMisirlioglu CH, Erkal H, Elgin Y, Ugur I, Altundag K.

Effect of concomitant use of pentoxifylline and alpha-tocopherol with radiotherapy on the clinical outcome of patients with stage IIIB non-small cell lung cancer: a randomized prospective clinical trial.
Med Oncol. 2006;23(2):185-9.
PMID: 16720918 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
5:
Related Articles, LinksNieder C, Zimmermann FB, Adam M, Molls M.

The role of pentoxifylline as a modifier of radiation therapy.
Cancer Treat Rev. 2005 Oct;31(6):448-55. Epub 2005 Oct 12. Review.
PMID: 16225996 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
6:
Related Articles, LinksOsterreicher J, Pejchal J, Skopek J, Mokrỳ J, Vilasová Z, Psutka J, Vávrová J, Mazurová Y.

Role of type II pneumocytes in pathogenesis of radiation pneumonitis: dose response of radiation-induced lung changes in the transient high vascular permeability period.
Exp Toxicol Pathol. 2004 Dec;56(3):181-7.
PMID: 15625787 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
7:
Related Articles, LinksOzturk B, Egehan I, Atavci S, Kitapci M.

Pentoxifylline in prevention of radiation-induced lung toxicity in patients with breast and lung cancer: a double-blind randomized trial.
Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2004 Jan 1;58(1):213-9.
PMID: 14697441 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
8:
Related Articles, LinksRübe CE, Wilfert F, Uthe D, Schmid KW, Knoop R, Willich N, Schuck A, Rübe C.

Modulation of radiation-induced tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) expression in the lung tissue by pentoxifylline.
Radiother Oncol. 2002 Aug;64(2):177-87.
PMID: 12242128 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
9:
Related Articles, LinksOsterreicher J, Králik M, Navrátil L, Vávrová J, Skopek J, KnÃ*zek J, Macela A.

Apoptosis and bcl-2 expression in irradiated lungs and the effect of pentoxifylline.
Acta Medica (Hradec Kralove). 2001;44(4):125-30.
PMID: 11836847 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
10:
Related Articles, LinksOsterreicher J, Mokry J, Navrátil L, KnÃ*zek J, Vávrová J, Skopek J, Macela A.

The alveolar septal thickness and type II pneumocytes number in irradiated lungs, time expression and the effect of pentoxifylline.
Acta Medica (Hradec Kralove). 2001;44(1):15-9.
PMID: 11367886 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
11:
Related Articles, LinksKwon HC, Kim SK, Chung WK, Cho MJ, Kim JS, Kim JS, Moon SR, Park WY, Ahn SJ, Oh YK, Yun HG, Na BS.

Effect of pentoxifylline on radiation response of non-small cell lung cancer: a phase III randomized multicenter trial.
Radiother Oncol. 2000 Aug;56(2):175-9.
PMID: 10927136 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
12:
Related Articles, LinksJohnson FE, Harrison BR, McKirgan LW, Raju PI, Roy TK, Virgo KS.

A phase II evaluation of pentoxifylline combined with radiation in the treatment of brain metastases.
Int J Oncol. 1998 Oct;13(4):801-5.
PMID: 9735411 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
13:
Related Articles, LinksRussell KJ, Wiens LW, Demers GW, Galloway DA, Le T, Rice GC, Bianco JA, Singer JW, Groudine M.

Preferential radiosensitization of G1 checkpoint-deficient cells by methylxanthines.
Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1996 Dec 1;36(5):1099-106.
PMID: 8985032 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
14:
Related Articles, LinksStelzer KJ, Koh WJ, Peterson LM, Griffin TW.

Effect of high-dose pentoxifylline on acute radiation-induced lung toxicity in a rat lung perfusion model.
Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1996 Jan 1;34(1):111-5.
PMID: 12118538 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
15:
Related Articles, LinksKoh WJ, Stelzer KJ, Peterson LM, Staker BL, Ward WF, Russell KJ, Griffin TW.

Effect of pentoxifylline on radiation-induced lung and skin toxicity in rats.
Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1995 Jan 1;31(1):71-7.
PMID: 7995770 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
16:
Related Articles, LinksRemiszewski P, Roszkowski K.

[Mechanisms of radiation to the lung. Pentoxifylline--a new radioprotective drug?]
Pneumonol Alergol Pol. 1995;63(5-6):349-54. Review. Polish. No abstract available.
PMID: 7581073 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
17:
Related Articles, LinksVernimmen F, Verheye-Dua F, du Toit H, Böhm L.

Effect of pentoxifylline on radiation damage and tumor growth.
Strahlenther Onkol. 1994 Oct;170(10):595-601.
PMID: 7974171 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
18:
Related Articles, LinksHoness DJ, Dennis IF, Bleehen NM.

Pentoxifylline: its pharmacokinetics and ability to improve tumour perfusion and radiosensitivity in mice.
Radiother Oncol. 1993 Sep;28(3):208-18.
PMID: 8255998 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Hope this helps--the combo is Pentoxifylline (also known as trental) and vitamin E

What has confused me is the ?radioprotective drug, as one might postulate that either it makes radiation work better or protects the lung from radiation damage. But maybe it does one via one pathway and the other via another and the net effect is to both increase effectiveness and protect the "innocent tissue"

None of this has been tested in tens of thousands over many years, so you may get the ...there is not sufficient clinical evidence...answer.

But I remember you have an inquiring mind, so information may either ease or disturb it.

Hope this info does the former