External Beam Radiotherapy News and Research

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External beam radiotherapy otherwise known as teletherapy, is the most frequently used form of radiotherapy. The patient sits or lies on a couch and an external source of radiation is pointed at a particular part of the body. Kilovoltage (also known as, superficial) x-rays are used for treating skin cancer and superficial structures. Megavoltage (or deep) X-rays are used to treat deep-seated tumours (eg bladder, bowel, prostate, lung, brain).

Structural racism in radiotherapy needs to be addressed to ensure equitable cancer care

Everyone should get quality care, no matter the color of their skin. However, implicit bias, micro-aggressions, and a lack of cultural understanding persist, leading to oppression and unequal treatment in healthcare.

30 Nov 2023

Shorter course of radiation therapy just as effective for intermediate risk prostate cancer, study shows

People with intermediate risk, localized prostate cancer can be treated as effectively using fewer and higher doses of radiation therapy delivered over five treatment sessions as they can with lower doses delivered over several weeks, a new phase III randomized trial suggests.

3 Oct 2023

No improvement in freedom from progression rates for patients: Study

Results from the NRG Oncology NRG-RTOG 0232 clinical trial adding external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) to brachytherapy (BT) in men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer indicate that there was no improvement in freedom from progression (FFP) rates for patients.

16 Jun 2023

Survey: Many prostate cancer patients in the UK did not receive adequate information about radiotherapy-induced sexual dysfunction

New research indicates that many UK patients don't receive adequate information about treatment-induced sexual dysfunction before, during, and after radiotherapy treatment for prostate cancer.

6 Jul 2022

Study findings could help guide treatment planning for men with high-risk prostate cancer

Results of a large study led by UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers could help guide treatment planning for patients with high-risk prostate cancer.

20 Jan 2022

Multimodality therapy critical for treating more aggressive prostate cancers

Men with high-risk prostate cancer with at least one additional aggressive feature have the best outcomes when treated with multiple healthcare disciplines, known as multimodality care, according to a UCLA study led by Dr. Amar Kishan, assistant professor of radiation oncology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a researcher at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

1 Jul 2021

Innovative radiotherapy technique benefits patients with locally advanced cervical cancer

Patients with locally advanced cervical cancer benefit significantly from an innovative radiotherapy technique co-developed by MedUni Vienna under the direction of Richard Pötter and Christian Kirisits. The technique provides better tumor control and produces fewer side-effects.

26 Nov 2020

Researchers report outcomes of salvage low dose RT brachytherapy after EBRT for prostate cancer

Researchers involved in the phase II NRG Oncology RTOG 0526 trial studying low dose rate (LDR) prostate brachytherapy (BT) following local recurrence (LR) after external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for patients with low-to-intermediate risk prostate cancer reported late Grade 3 gastrointestinal and genitourinary adverse events (AEs) occurring in 14% of trial participants.

28 Oct 2020

Prostate cancer patients receiving care at MultiD clinic more likely to be advised about treatment choices

Newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients have multiple standard-of-care treatment options available, but many are not fully informed of their choices.

19 Nov 2019

Clinical trial finds no difference in pain response between SBRT and cEBRT for patients with spinal metastases

A Phase III, NRG Oncology clinical trial that compared radiosurgery or stereotactic body radiotherapy to the conventional radiotherapy for patients with spinal metastases indicated that there was no statistically significant difference between the treatments for pain response, adverse events, FACT-G, BPI, and EQ-5D scores.

17 Sep 2019

Study proposes new way of concentrating radiotherapy dose in tumors

A new way of concentrating radiotherapy dose in tumours, while minimising damage to healthy cells, has been proposed in research led by scientists at the University of Strathclyde.

26 Jul 2019

World’s first clinical guidance on anal sex after prostate cancer treatments

UK doctors and surgeons have formulated what is probably the world's first clinical guidance on anal sex before, during, and after diagnosis and treatment for prostate cancer.

10 Jun 2019

Combination of radiotherapy and anti-hormone treatment can prevent recurrence of hormone-driven breast cancer

Women with early, low risk, hormone-driven breast cancer are less likely to have a recurrence of their disease if they have radiotherapy after surgery, as well as anti-hormone treatment, according to results from a trial that has followed 869 women for ten years.

26 Apr 2019

LDR brachytherapy for treating early-stage prostate cancer lacks conclusive data

Interstitial brachytherapy uses slightly radioactive particles implanted into the prostate to deliver radiation directly to the tumour (low-dose-rate, LDR).

20 Nov 2018

Radiation therapy can lower risk of breast cancer recurrence in patients with ‘good risk’ DCIS

A subset of patients with low-risk breast cancer is highly unlikely to see cancer return following breast conservation surgery but can lower that risk even further with radiation therapy, finds a new long-term clinical trial report.

30 Oct 2018

Coveted BMJ award bestowed on The Clatterbridge Cancer Center

A coveted British Medical Journal award was recently bestowed on the Papillon Contact X-ray Brachytherapy team at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. The Cancer Care Team of the year category was won by the entry—Papillon for Rectal Cancer.

From Ariane Medical Systems 24 May 2018

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

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

Single dose of intraoperative radiotherapy effective for early stage breast cancer patients

In the South East of England, a patient experience study of 18 early stage breast cancer patients who opted for single dose intraoperative radiotherapy, found positive patient reported outcomes for this alternative to standard daily external beam radiotherapy.

21 Apr 2016

Hitachi receives FDA 510(k) clearance to deliver new PROBEAT-V system to Rochester-based Mayo Clinic

Hitachi, Ltd. has announced it has received FDA 510(k) clearance for commercial supply of the new PROBEAT-V system, which it designed and developed for Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Treatments began in late June and the first patient treatment was completed in August 2015.

16 Sep 2015