Low-dose radiation therapy: a treatment for pneumonia resulting from COVID-19

Background: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is spreading rapidly throughout the world Lung is the primary organ which the COVID-19 virus affects and leads to pneumonia, an acute respiratory distress syndrome COVID-19 infects the lower respiratory system, and the lung's response to this infection is recruiting macrophages and monocytes leading to inflammation, this response causes widespread damage to the lung's airways Aim: The purpose of this study is to review studies of using low-dose radiation as a treatment for the inflammation of the tissue and pneumonia resulting from COVID-19 These studies were compared with the risk of developing lung cancer during performed dose for the treatment of COVID-19 in radiation therapy Materials and methods: Our study focused on in vitro, in vivo and clinical reports of using low-dose radiation for the treatment of inflammation, pneumonia and COVID-19 The risk of lung cancer resulting from suggested dose in these studies was also evaluated Conclusion: From the review of articles, we have found that low-dose radiation can lead to improvement in inflammation in different line cells and animals;in addition, it has been effective in treating inflammation and pneumonia caused by COVID-19 in human up to 80% Since suggested doses do not remarkably increase the lung cancer risk, low-dose radiation can be an adjuvant treatment for COVID-19 patients © The Author(s), 2021 Published by Cambridge University Press