Well into its second decade of existence, RABEX continues to be a unique and important educational tool for the certification and continuous education of residents and senior radiation oncologists. The present edition of RABEX follows the original goals defined in the 1990's by Drs. J. D. Chapman, S. Shahabi, L. R. Coia and B. Corn. However, due to the increase in knowledge in the field of biology and the rapid development of electronic distribution of information, RABEX needed to be updated to match these challenges. The ultimate goal of the present edition is to maintain its level of excellence with relevant updates in topics and contents.
The topics included in RABEX practice examination continue to be based upon those listed by the American Board of Radiology for the cognitive exam in radiation and cancer biology. Also, the number of questions in each section reflects the ABR's relative weight for each topic. Therefore, this practice examination provides guidance for residents and senior radiation oncologists in their preparation for the initial radiation oncology certification examination as well as to demonstrate cognitive expertise in radiation biology required for maintenance of certification.
The exam consists of 200 multiple choice questions in, newly updated ABR Guidelines:
I. Interaction of radiation with matter, a. Definition of ionizing radiation, free radicals, and radical damage,
b. Direct and indirect action of radiation, numbers and types of DNA lesions,
c. Consequences of unrepaired DNA DSB
II. Molecular and cellular damage and repair, a. Molecular mechanisms of DNA damage,
b. Molecular mechanisms of DNA repair,
c. Cellular recovery,
d. Chromosome and chromatid damage
III. Cellular responses to radiation, a. Mechanisms of cell death, b. Cell and tissue survival assays: measurement of response,
c. Models of cell survival
IV. Linear energy transfer (LET) and oxygen effect, a. Linear energy transfer, b. Oxygen Effect
V. Tumor biology and microenvironment, a. Solid tumor assay systems, b. Tumor microenvironment
VI. Cancer biology, a. Cell and tissue kinetics, b. Molecular signaling, c. Mechanisms of cancer development,
d. Cancer genetics/genomics
VII. Radiobiology of normal tissues, a. Clinically relevant normal tissue responses to radiation, b. Mechanisms of normal tissue
radiation responses, c. Total body irradiation
VIII. Dose delivery, a. Therapeutic ratio, b. Time, dose, and fractionation, c. Brachytherapy, d. Radiobiological aspects
of different radiation modalities
IX. Combined modality therapy, a. Chemotherapeutic agents and radiation therapy, b. Radiosensitizers, bioreductive drugs,
and radioprotectors, c. Immune therapeutics, d. Hyperthermia
X. Late effects and radiation protection, a. Radiation carcinogenesis, b. Heritable effects of radiation, c. Radiation effects in the
developing embryo, d. Radiation protection
The answer, along with an explanation and appropriate references, will be provided for each question.
Editor-in-Chief:
Marcelo Vazquez, MD, PhD
Loma Linda University, Radiation Medicine
MVazquez@llu.edu
Chief-Technical Editor:
Siamak Shahabi, PhD
Rabex Organization & Advanced Medical Publishing, Inc.
info@Rabex.net
Contributors:
Marcelo Vazquez, MD, PhD, Lead, Clinical Translational Radiobiology Research Dept. of Radiation Medicine Loma Linda University Medical Center, CA, Alejandro Carabe-Fernandez, PhD, Department of Radiation Oncology, The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, Erica Bell, PhD, Department of Radiation Oncology, Associate professor, Radiation Biology Director, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, Manuela Buonanno, PhD, Columbia University, Center for Radiological Research, NY, Veljko Grilj, PhD, RARAF Laboratories, Columbia University, NY, Jessica Fleming, PhD, Department of Radiation Oncology at the Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, Antonella Bertucci, PhD, Associate Researcher, Loma Linda University, Department of Radiation Medicine & Siamak Shahabi, PhD, Chief-Technical Editor, Rabex Organization & Advanced Medical Publishing, Inc., and Cancer-Matrix Manual, USA.
Past Contributors: 1995-present
J. D. Chapman, PhD, Editor-in-Chief
Associate Editors:
Gary Y. Yang, Kathryn Huber, MD, PhD, Mark Ritter, MD, PhD, Richard Miller, phD, Minesh Mehta, MD, Joan Allalunis-Turner, PhD, Paul C. Billings, PhD, David A. Boothman, PhD, J. Martin Brown, PhD, Lawrence R. Coia, MD, William C. Dewey, PhD, Evan B. Douple, PhD, Richard P. Hill, PhD, Clifton C. Ling, PhD, Luka Milas, PhD, William F. Morgan, PhD., Colin G. Orton, PhD, Mark A. Ritter, MD, PhD, Sara Rockwell, Barry S. Rosenstein, PhD, Joseph L. Roti Roti, PhD, Craig W. Stevens, MD, Beverly A. Teicher, PhD, E. Day Werts, PhD, & H. Rodney Withers, PhD.