Space Radiation Triggers a Biological Cascade That Leads to Cancer

Researchers at Oklahoma State University and UT Health Science Center found that Fe-56 iron ions from galactic cosmic rays trigger an NF-κB and TNF-α inflammatory cascade in hit cells that drives cancerous changes in neighboring, unirradiated cells. Blocking the TNF-α receptor and NF-κB activation halts the cascade, and blood data from the Inspiration4 crew showed elevated TNF-α in real astronauts.

• Only ~3% of an astronaut's cells take a direct iron-ion hit on a Mars round trip
• Irradiated cells sustain NF-κB and TNF-α inflammatory signaling for up to three days
• Bystander cells with no direct exposure grew tumors in mouse models
• Inspiration4 crew showed systemic TNF-α spikes and anti-death gene activity