Radiation Therapy News and Research

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Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy, x-ray therapy, or irradiation) is the use of a certain type of energy (called ionizing radiation) to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy injures or destroys cells in the area being treated (the “target tissue”) by damaging their genetic material, making it impossible for these cells to continue to grow and divide. Although radiation damages both cancer cells and normal cells, most normal cells can recover from the effects of radiation and function properly. The goal of radiation therapy is to damage as many cancer cells as possible, while limiting harm to nearby healthy tissue.

IMRT and extensive safety measures can prevent radiation injuries in cancer patients, says oncology expert

Recent media stories have reported isolated cases of cancer patients who were injured by incorrect doses from intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).

2 Feb 2010

AAPM reassures safety of radiation therapy

The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) has issued a statement today in the wake of several recent articles in the New York Times yesterday and earlier in the week that discuss a number of rare but tragic events in the last decade involving people undergoing radiation therapy.

30 Jan 2010

Northwestern Memorial HealthCare completes its formal plans to affiliate with Lake Forest Hospital

Northwestern Memorial HealthCare has completed its formal plans to affiliate with Lake County's Lake Forest Hospital. Northwestern's health system has obtained both federal and state approvals to proceed with an affiliation agreement that will make Lake Forest Hospital a wholly owned entity of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare along with Northwestern Memorial Hospital on February 1, 2010.

30 Jan 2010

New mathematical model helps in predicting treatment outcomes for cervical cancer patients

Cervical cancer is highly curable when caught early. But in a third of cases, the tumor responds poorly to therapy or recurs later, when cure is much less likely.

29 Jan 2010

ECRI Institute publishes Health Devices guidance article for hospitals

Electronic health records (EHRs) are the future of medical record keeping. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) includes incentive payments for hospitals that adopt an EHR, but the timetable for implementation is especially tight.

29 Jan 2010

Children with cancer are treated with proton therapy at ProCure Proton Therapy Center

Children with cancer are now being accepted for treatment at the ProCure Proton Therapy Center in Oklahoma, where a wide range of tumors are treated with proton therapy, an alternative to X-ray radiation that spares healthy tissue and results in far fewer short- and long-term treatment side effects.

28 Jan 2010

Researchers join in a three-year project to pursue novel applications of HPC in radiotherapy

Researchers from the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at UC San Diego have joined forces with the Department of Radiation Oncology in the university's School of Medicine, its Department of Mathematics, and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in a three-year, $1.5 million project to pursue novel applications of high-performance computing (HPC) in radiotherapy.

27 Jan 2010

Mayo Clinic achieves new levels of excellence in service to humanity

Mayo Clinic announced today that it raised $1.35 billion in its first comprehensive fundraising campaign, surpassing the goal of $1.25 billion.

27 Jan 2010

Radiation therapy safe and effective for cancer treatment

In response to the issues raised by the Jan. 24 New York Times article, "Radiation Offers New Cures and Ways to Do Harm," US Oncology, Inc. wants to ensure that cancer patients and the general public understand that the benefits received from radiation therapy in cancer care far outweigh the risks, and that cancer patients fighting their disease with help from the US Oncology physician network, and their loved ones, can rest assured that extensive quality control measures are put in place to minimize risks.

27 Jan 2010

YM BioSciences' nimotuzumab Phase II trials: FDA advises patient enrollment

YM BioSciences Inc., announced that the FDA has advised the Company that it may now enroll patients at US clinical sites into two ongoing randomized, double-blind Phase II trials of its lead product, nimotuzumab. One of the two trials is in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who are ineligible for curative treatment and being treated palliatively and the other in patients with brain metastases from NSCLC. Current NSCLC palliative treatment and treatment for brain metastases is radiation alone.

27 Jan 2010

Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation disbursed $1 million in research awards; looks forward to fund more projects in 2010

The Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation has disbursed nearly $1 million in research awards for work on a breakthrough medical technology and is making more project funding available in 2010.

22 Jan 2010

Researchers discover genetic variations that predict clinical outcomes in patients with stomach cancer

Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) have, for the first time, identified specific genetic variations that predict clinical outcomes in patients with gastric (stomach) cancer.

22 Jan 2010

AKD Global announces new class of cancer treatments in development

AKD Global announced today the discovery of a new class of cancer treatments in development, providing hope for millions of sufferers. The spectacular results demonstrate a highly potent effect on cancer cells with no toxicity to healthy tissue. AKD is raising funds to continue development.

22 Jan 2010

New learning centre dedicated to train CT health care specialists established

The Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences and GE Healthcare Canada today announced the establishment of a new learning centre dedicated to training both the current and next generation of CT health care specialists.

22 Jan 2010

Research reveals gene activation is linked to most aggressive type of brain cancer

Glioblastoma (GBM), the brain cancer better known for having killed Senator Ted Kennedy a few months ago, is the most aggressive and lethal of all brain tumours.

18 Jan 2010

BARDA invites Aeolus Pharmaceuticals to submit proposal for development of AEOL 10150

Aeolus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that after review of the Company’s white paper on development of AEOL-10150 as a countermeasure for the lung effects of acute radiation syndrome, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) Division of Chemical, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Countermeasures has informed the Company that, after careful analysis and consideration, it has invited Aeolus to submit a full proposal for a contract to develop AEOL 10150 from its current level of technical readiness to FDA approval.

13 Jan 2010

CEL-SCI completes validation of its GMP manufacturing facility

CEL-SCI Corporation, a late-stage oncology company and a developer of vaccines and therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, announced today it has completed the validation of all critical utilities and manufacturing equipment at its GMP manufacturing facility in Maryland.

12 Jan 2010

Cancer treatment-related toxicities have negative effect on quality of life, survivors' perspective

In a first-ever initiative, renowned health-care providers identify and describe how cancer treatment-related toxicities have a negative effect on quality of life from the perspective of patients and survivors.

7 Jan 2010

Similar effectiveness in treatment options for low-risk prostate cancer; research may help improve patient outcomes

A comprehensive appraisal of the management and treatment options for low-risk prostate cancer found that the rates of survival and tumor recurrence are similar among the most common treatment approaches, although costs can vary considerably.

6 Jan 2010

OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals receives grant funding for Phase 2 clinical trial of OGX-427

OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced that a randomized, controlled, investigator-sponsored Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating OGX-427 when administered as a monotherapy to patients with castrate resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) has received grant funding.

6 Jan 2010

Radiation Therapy News and Research

Further Reading

IMRT and extensive safety measures can prevent radiation injuries in cancer patients, says oncology expert

AAPM reassures safety of radiation therapy

Northwestern Memorial HealthCare completes its formal plans to affiliate with Lake Forest Hospital

New mathematical model helps in predicting treatment outcomes for cervical cancer patients

ECRI Institute publishes Health Devices guidance article for hospitals

Children with cancer are treated with proton therapy at ProCure Proton Therapy Center

Researchers join in a three-year project to pursue novel applications of HPC in radiotherapy

Mayo Clinic achieves new levels of excellence in service to humanity

Radiation therapy safe and effective for cancer treatment

YM BioSciences' nimotuzumab Phase II trials: FDA advises patient enrollment

Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation disbursed $1 million in research awards; looks forward to fund more projects in 2010

Researchers discover genetic variations that predict clinical outcomes in patients with stomach cancer

AKD Global announces new class of cancer treatments in development

New learning centre dedicated to train CT health care specialists established

Research reveals gene activation is linked to most aggressive type of brain cancer

BARDA invites Aeolus Pharmaceuticals to submit proposal for development of AEOL 10150

CEL-SCI completes validation of its GMP manufacturing facility

Cancer treatment-related toxicities have negative effect on quality of life, survivors' perspective

Similar effectiveness in treatment options for low-risk prostate cancer; research may help improve patient outcomes

OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals receives grant funding for Phase 2 clinical trial of OGX-427

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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