Brachytherapy News and Research

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Brachytherapy is a minimally invasive procedure that involves the use of radioactive seeds the size of rice grains. Brachytherapy, an out-patient procedure, usually takes 45 minutes to an hour to perform. Most patients can return to their normal activities within days. The success rates of prostate brachytherapy have compared favorably with success rates of radical prostatectomy and external beam radiation. In comparison studies, prostate brachytherapy has shown to have a favorable side effect profile when compared with other modalities. Clinical studies have shown that prostate brachytherapy has a cure rate of 94% for appropriately selected patients.

Different therapies for early-stage breast cancer show wide variations in cost-effectiveness

A new study published today in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute indicates that different therapies for early-stage breast cancer have very different relative values.

10 Apr 2017

$Study highlights potential tolerability of single fraction of HDR brachytherapy for localized prostate cancer$

Study highlights potential tolerability of single fraction of HDR brachytherapy for localized prostate cancer

Results from a new prospective clinical trial indicate that high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy administered in a single, 19 Gray treatment may be a safe and effective alternative to longer courses of HDR treatment for men with localized prostate cancer.

1 Mar 2017

Study shows only 44% of patients receive accepted, best treatment for cervical cancer

Standard-of-care treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer includes radiation, chemotherapy and brachytherapy (in which radiation is implanted internally).

1 Nov 2016

Radiation boost provides added benefit to DCIS patients following breast-conserving surgery and WBRT

A supplemental "boost" of radiation improves local control and provides an incremental benefit in decreasing breast cancer recurrence for patients with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) who receive whole breast radiation therapy radiation (WBRT) following lumpectomy, according to research presented today at the 58th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

27 Sep 2016

Intermediate risk prostate cancer patients can achieve survival benefit with brachytherapy alone

For men with intermediate risk prostate cancer, radiation treatment with brachytherapy alone can result in similar cancer control with fewer long-term side effects, when compared to more aggressive treatment that combines brachytherapy with external beam therapy (EBT), according to research presented today at the 58th Annual Meeting the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

27 Sep 2016

Qfix launches new Symphony Patient Transport System to safely increase workflow efficiencies

Today, Qfix, a world leader in radiotherapy patient positioning devices, announced it is launching the new Symphony Patient Transport System that maximizes workflow efficiencies and throughput by seamlessly aiding in the setup, positioning and transfer of a patient for procedures involving imaging, external beam radiation therapy, brachytherapy and other procedures requiring the transfer of a patient.

26 Sep 2016

NICE MIB offers SD-IORT using Xoft Axxent electronic brachytherapy system for early stage breast cancer patients

NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) has announced a new Medtech Innovation Briefing (MIB) stating that NHS doctors and commissioners may consider Single Dose Intraoperative Radiotherapy (SD-IORT) using the Xoft Axxent electronic brachytherapy system with ORL managed service as a treatment option for early stage breast cancer patients.

6 Sep 2016

African-American men treated with ADT for prostate cancer suffer from high mortality rates

In a retrospective study analyzing patients' medical records, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital found that patients' race significantly affected their longevity by increasing the likelihood of death after receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT).

5 Aug 2016

LifeLine Software and Radyalis to exhibit Monte Carlo dose calculation technology at 2016 AAPM

LifeLine Software, Inc., a worldwide leader in dosimetric quality assurance tools, and Radyalis LLC, a pioneer in advanced radiotherapy software, will be demonstrating the next generation of Monte Carlo quality assurance solutions at the 2016 AAPM Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

30 Jul 2016

VCU Health radiologist uses MRI technology to detect difficult prostate cancers

For three years, Andrew Harder wondered if he had prostate cancer. In 2009, he had routine blood work that revealed an elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level.

25 Jul 2016

ASTRO clinical practice statement outlines recommendations to customize treatment for rectal cancer

The American Society for Radiation Oncology recently issued a new clinical practice statement, "Appropriate Customization of Radiation Therapy for Stage II and III Rectal Cancer: An ASTRO Clinical Practice Statement Using the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method."

21 Jul 2016

Addition of L19-IL2 can increase radiation therapy-induced immune response against tumours

Radiation therapy not only kills cancer cells, but also helps to activate the immune system against their future proliferation. However, this immune response is often not strong enough to be able to cure tumours, and even when it is, its effect is limited to the area that has been irradiated.

2 May 2016

SBRT for prostate cancer treatment offers higher cure rate than many traditional approaches

A five-year study shows that Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) to treat prostate cancer offers a higher cure rate than more traditional approaches, according to researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center.

19 Apr 2016

Radiotherapy needs likely to increase in all European countries by 2025

The demand for radiotherapy across all European countries will increase by an average of 16% between 2012 and 2025, with the highest expected increase being for prostate cancer cases (24%), according to a new study published in Radiotherapy and Oncology.

19 Apr 2016

Varian to collaborate with several Brazilian institutions to train healthcare professionals on radiotherapy technology

Varian Medical Systems, today announced its intent to collaborate with several cancer treatment centers in Brazil for the training of healthcare professionals on advanced radiotherapy technologies.

4 Mar 2016

Maryland Proton Treatment Center completes first patient treatment with Varian ProBeam system

Varian Medical Systems, today announced the Maryland Proton Treatment Center successfully completed its first patient treatment with the Varian ProBeam system. The MPTC at the University of Maryland BioPark in West Baltimore houses five treatment rooms and is the first in the Eastern US to offer image-guided intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) with a ProBeam system.

24 Feb 2016

UW–Madison center continues to offer accurate radiation treatment

As radiation sources used to map disease and attack cancer grow in number and complexity, a University of Wisconsin-Madison center continues to offer the last word on accurate radiation doses.

1 Feb 2016

Study may help guide patients and physicians to determine appropriate treatment option for early breast cancer

In a review of guideline-concordant treatment modalities for women with early stage breast cancer, mastectomy and reconstruction had the highest rate of complications and complication-related costs, regardless of age. It was also the most expensive treatment option in a younger patient population, according to a new study from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

11 Dec 2015

UCLA study finds cost variation across entire care process for low-risk prostate cancer

Now, for the first time, UCLA researchers have described cost across an entire care process for low-risk prostate cancer - from the time a patient checks in for his first appointment to his post-treatment follow-up testing - using time-driven activity-based costing. And they found a wide variation in costs for the various available treatments that remained consistent over a 12-year period, indicating a better method to monitor costs could save valuable healthcare dollars, said study first author Dr. Aaron Laviana, a fifth year urology resident.

3 Nov 2015

APBI brachytherapy improves overall survival in selected patients with early stage breast cancer

The Groupe Européen de Curiethérapie European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (GEC-ESTRO) today announced results from a prospective, randomized, multicenter phase III study comparing accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) with interstitial multicatheter brachytherapy to whole breast irradiation (WBI).

20 Oct 2015