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.

Obese women with early breast cancer at greater risk of death

Women who are obese when they are diagnosed with early stage breast cancer are at greater risk of dying of their disease than women of normal weight

6 Oct 2004

Radiation therapy and tamoxifen helps prevent cancer returning

Early stage breast cancer patients over the age of 50 can greatly minimize their chances of recurrence after surgery by receiving radiation therapy in addition to taking tamoxifen, a hormonal therapy

5 Oct 2004

Radiation either before or after chemotherapy and surgery just as effective for treating lung cancer

Radiation therapy before chemotherapy and surgery is just as effective in treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer as chemotherapy followed by surgery then radiation

5 Oct 2004

In some cases, children with Hodgkin’s Disease can safely skip or reduce the amount of radiation therapy received

In some cases, children with Hodgkin’s Disease can safely skip or significantly reduce the amount of radiation therapy they must receive if the cancer has been sufficiently shrunk due to chemotherapy

5 Oct 2004

Study suggests that radiation oncologists can and should be more aggressive in their treatment of prostate cancer

Increasing the radiation dose delivered by highly conformal external beam radiation to men suffering from early stage prostate cancer shows an advantage in terms of increased disease-free survival rates

5 Oct 2004

Boosting the blood count in conjunction with radiation therapy doesn't improve survival for head and neck cancer patients

Boosting the blood count – in effect, curing anemia – in conjunction with radiation therapy won't help patients with head and neck cancer fare any better than with radiation alone, says a national study led by Jefferson Medical College researchers.

5 Oct 2004

Prognostic factors influencing survival in patients with brain metastases identified

Allos Therapeutics has announced the presentation of new findings from its Phase 3 clinical trial of the investigational radiation sensitizer Efaproxyn (efaproxiral) in patients with brain metastases.

4 Oct 2004

Researchers show gossypol – a drug refined from cottonseed oil is a cancer treatment booster

New research has opened up the prospect that gossypol – a drug refined from cottonseed oil and previously tried and abandoned as a male contraceptive – could boost the effectiveness of treatment for prostate tumours and possibly other common cancers as well.

30 Sep 2004

Data suggests potential role of Quadramet in conjunction with chemotherapy for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia

Cytogen Corporation today announced the presentation of new data relating to its lead therapeutic product Quadramet (samarium Sm-153 lexidronam injection) during the 36th Congress of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP).

20 Sep 2004

Less radiation in a more tailored manner best for uterine cancer

Less radiation, delivered in a more tailored manner, is very effective and should be preferred over longer-term conventional radiation therapy in treating one of the most virulent forms of uterine cancer

20 Sep 2004

Study reveals what may be the earliest step in the development of prostate cancer

The finding could open the door to new tests that predict whether the cancer will become aggressive and the development of treatments to prevent the condition from progressing.

2 Sep 2004

MGI PHARMA acquires Aesgen for $32 million

MGI PHARMA today announced that they have signed a definitive merger agreement under which MGI PHARMA will acquire all outstanding equity of Aesgen for $32 million in cash.

1 Sep 2004

Surgery plus radiation therapy an effective way to treat early breast cancer in women aged 70 and older

For early breast cancer, the standard of care is surgery to remove the cancerous lump followed by radiation therapy, thereby allowing the patient to keep her breast. However, older women are not always offered this option.

1 Sep 2004

Combination therapies improve prostate cancer survival rates

The addition of six months of androgen suppression therapy (AST) to radiation therapy improves survival of patients with clinically localized prostate cancer, according to a study in the current issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

18 Aug 2004

Immunotherapy and chemotherapy combined, slows tumor progression and extends survival of patients with glioblastoma multiforme

Researchers at Cedars-Sinai's Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute have found that the combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy significantly slowed tumor progression and extended survival of patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

17 Aug 2004

New treatment strategy for brain cancer

Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center researchers have found that combining ionizing radiation with a secreted protein that selectively inhibits tumor cell growth and survival can target cancer cells and leave healthy cells alone, perhaps presenting a new approach for treating the deadliest type of brain tumor.

9 Aug 2004

Radiation Therapy News and Research

Further Reading

Obese women with early breast cancer at greater risk of death

Radiation therapy and tamoxifen helps prevent cancer returning

Radiation either before or after chemotherapy and surgery just as effective for treating lung cancer

In some cases, children with Hodgkin’s Disease can safely skip or reduce the amount of radiation therapy received

Study suggests that radiation oncologists can and should be more aggressive in their treatment of prostate cancer

Boosting the blood count in conjunction with radiation therapy doesn't improve survival for head and neck cancer patients

Prognostic factors influencing survival in patients with brain metastases identified

Researchers show gossypol – a drug refined from cottonseed oil is a cancer treatment booster

Data suggests potential role of Quadramet in conjunction with chemotherapy for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia

Less radiation in a more tailored manner best for uterine cancer

Study reveals what may be the earliest step in the development of prostate cancer

MGI PHARMA acquires Aesgen for $32 million

Surgery plus radiation therapy an effective way to treat early breast cancer in women aged 70 and older

Combination therapies improve prostate cancer survival rates

Immunotherapy and chemotherapy combined, slows tumor progression and extends survival of patients with glioblastoma multiforme

New treatment strategy for brain cancer

Aggressive treatment for nasopharyngeal cancer shown to be more effective

Knowledge about oral and head and neck cancer is severely lacking in the American public

Physicians offer several promising and unique approaches to brain tumor treatment

Moderate exercise helps beat fatigue from prostate radiation

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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