Objective: To determine the repair half-time (T1/2), a speed parameter of sub-lethal damage repair (SLDR), of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell lines CNE1, HONE1, C666-1 and CNE2.
Methods: A total radiation dose of 8 Gy divided into 4+4 Gy was delivered to the cell lines at the interval of 0 s, 15 s, 30 s, 1 h, 2 h, 4 h or 6 h. The cell survival fractions were determined using the standard cell clonogenic assay. The curves of the changes in the surviving cell fraction after a total dose of 8 Gy, as a function of the interval between the two doses of 4 Gy, were fitted manually, and the T1/2 of each cell line was calculated according to the curves.
Results: The T1/2 of CNE1, HONE1, C666-1 and CNE2 were 18 s, 22 s, 29 s and 27 s, respectively.
Conclusion: The speed of SLDR of NPC cells is quite rapid, indicating that the fraction delivery time longer than 20 s might decrease the effect of radiotherapy.