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.

Teaching hospitals might provide better radical prostatectomy results

Prostate cancer patients who undergo radical prostatectomy get better results at teaching hospitals than at non-academic medical institutions, according to the findings of an international study led by researchers at Henry Ford Hospital.

8 Nov 2011

New technology can detect toxins in a person's breath

Breathing. Anyone reading this article is doing it right now. But what chemicals are we breathing in, and out? A group of Virginia Tech College of Engineering researchers has published a paper in the journal Environmental Science & Technology that details how to learn just that, using microelectromechanical systems to focus on toxins and everyday impurities that enter the body through the air we intake.

8 Nov 2011

Bristol-Myers Squibb receives FDA approval for Erbitux to treat head and neck cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Erbitux (cetuximab) for use with chemotherapy to treat patients with late-stage (metastatic) head and neck cancer.

8 Nov 2011

AMS pleased with CMS' increase in 2012 payment rate for proton therapy

AMERICAN SHARED HOSPITAL SERVICES, a leading provider of turnkey technology solutions for advanced radiosurgical and radiation therapy services, said today that the recent announcement by the Centers for Medicare & Medicade Services (CMS) of a 15% increase in the payment rate of proton therapy for hospital based centers beginning in 2012 strengthens the economic case for the proton centers now under development by the Company.

7 Nov 2011

Chemotherapy plus radiation improves overall survival for patients with stage II NPC

The combination of chemotherapy and radiation significantly improved the 5-year overall survival of patients with stage II nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), according to a phase III study published Nov. 4 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

5 Nov 2011

Benefits of combined therapy for men with high-risk prostate cancer

Men with locally advanced or high-risk prostate cancer who receive combined radiation and hormone therapy live longer and are less likely to die from their disease, shows clinical research led by radiation oncologists at the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) Cancer Program, University Health Network.

3 Nov 2011

Radiation therapy prior to HCT improves outcomes in older patients with hematologic malignancies

Older patients with advanced hematologic malignancies, such as leukemia and lymphoma, who received a conditioning regimen that included minimal-intensity radiation therapy prior to allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation had survival and progression-free survival outcomes suggesting that this treatment approach may be a viable option for older patients with these malignancies, according to a study in the November 2 issue of JAMA.

2 Nov 2011

iCAD, Hitachi enter distribution agreement for MRI breast cancer diagnosis and guided biopsy solution

iCAD, Inc., an industry-leading provider of advanced image analysis, workflow solutions and radiation therapies for the early identification and treatment of cancer, today announced that it has entered into a distribution agreement with Hitachi Medical Systems.

31 Oct 2011

'Heroes of Hope Race for Brain Tumor Research' event to be held on Nov. 6

Veronica Cappalonga, 28, knows a lot about living with cancer. Diagnosed at age 6 with leukemia and at 22 with a malignant brain tumor, the Los Angeles (Mar Vista area) resident will walk in the Nov. 6 Heroes of Hope Race for Brain Tumor Research - not only to help fundraise, but also to show that survivors can fight these diseases with dignity.

29 Oct 2011

Varian to supply TrueBeam treatment systems to Lund University Hospital

Varian Medical Systems has been awarded a contract to supply four TrueBeam treatment systems to Lund University Hospital in Sweden, one of the country's largest radiotherapy departments. The order, confirmed in September, is aimed at cutting treatment waiting lists in the Skane region of Sweden and includes an option to acquire two further TrueBeam systems in 2014.

28 Oct 2011

Carl Zeiss Meditec to showcase new clinical and productivity tools at AAO annual meeting

Carl Zeiss Meditec will showcase new clinical and productivity tools across the glaucoma, retina, cataract and refractive workplaces during this week's American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting in Orlando at booth #821.

24 Oct 2011

EAE, ASE to issue echocardiography guidelines for early detection of cardio toxicity

"Considering that the early detection of cardio toxicity is a critical issue for patients undergoing chemotherapy, the ASE and the EAE have come together to write guidelines which will highlight the technical advantages of echocardiography in identifying cardio toxicity early," explained Prof Juan Carlos Plana, Co-Director of the Cardio-oncology Center, Cleveland Clinic, from the ASE. "

21 Oct 2011

OncoGenex commences enrollment in OGX-427 Phase II trial for bladder cancer

OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has initiated patient enrollment in a randomized, Phase II clinical trial evaluating OGX-427, an inhibitor of heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27), in patients with advanced bladder cancer.

21 Oct 2011

Mathematical optimization models to improve radiation therapy for cancer

Engineering researchers at the University of Arkansas have developed mathematical optimization models that will make radiation treatment plans safer and more efficient than conventional plans.

From Elekta 14 Oct 2011

RAZCER (Rapid Astrazeneca and CARO Evaluation of Radio-modifiers) awards announced - five Canadians win

Five leading Canadian radiation oncologists receive RAZCER Awards of $22,727 each for novel studies of radiation-drug interactions that have the potential to either protect normal tissues or sensitize tumours, and thus to enhance the effectiveness of radiation therapy for cancer patients. A selection committee of members of the Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology (CARO) selected the 2011 recipients from among a field of 12 applicants. Astrazeneca provides the funds for the RAZCER Award as an educational grant.

13 Oct 2011

Breast-reconstruction procedure can preserve mammary artery for future cardiac surgery

Doctors at Johns Hopkins have shown that during an increasingly popular type of breast-reconstruction surgery, they can safely preserve the internal mammary artery, in case it is needed for future cardiac surgery.

13 Oct 2011

MD Anderson initiates orders of Cesium-131 to help control intermediate risk prostate cancer

IsoRay Inc., a medical technology company and innovator in seed brachytherapy and medical radioisotope applications, announced today that MD Anderson Cancer Center has initiated orders of Cesium-131 brachytherapy (internal radiation therapy) seeds as it continues its clinical research study investigating brachytherapy's ability to help control intermediate risk prostate cancer.

11 Oct 2011

Clinical study: Higher radiation dose does not improve overall survival for NSCLC

A higher dose of radiation (74 Gy) does not improve overall survival for non-small cell lung cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes, compared to the standard radiation dose (60 Gy), according to an interim analysis of a late-breaking randomized study presented at the plenary session, October 3, 2011, at the 53rdAnnual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

4 Oct 2011

More than three-quarters of cancer patients have vitamin D deficiency

More than three-quarters of cancer patients have insufficient levels of vitamin D (25-hydroxy-vitamin D) and the lowest levels are associated with more advanced cancer, according to a study presented on October 2, 2011, at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

4 Oct 2011

Cancer patients prefer to use Web-based technology for quality of life survey

When cancer patients are given the choice, they are significantly more likely to use Web-based technology to answer questions about their quality of life six months after treatment, compared to a paper survey, according to a unique study presented at a scientific session, October 5, 2011, at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

4 Oct 2011

Radiation Therapy News and Research

Further Reading

Teaching hospitals might provide better radical prostatectomy results

New technology can detect toxins in a person's breath

Bristol-Myers Squibb receives FDA approval for Erbitux to treat head and neck cancer

AMS pleased with CMS' increase in 2012 payment rate for proton therapy

Chemotherapy plus radiation improves overall survival for patients with stage II NPC

Benefits of combined therapy for men with high-risk prostate cancer

Radiation therapy prior to HCT improves outcomes in older patients with hematologic malignancies

iCAD, Hitachi enter distribution agreement for MRI breast cancer diagnosis and guided biopsy solution

'Heroes of Hope Race for Brain Tumor Research' event to be held on Nov. 6

Varian to supply TrueBeam treatment systems to Lund University Hospital

Carl Zeiss Meditec to showcase new clinical and productivity tools at AAO annual meeting

EAE, ASE to issue echocardiography guidelines for early detection of cardio toxicity

OncoGenex commences enrollment in OGX-427 Phase II trial for bladder cancer

Mathematical optimization models to improve radiation therapy for cancer

RAZCER (Rapid Astrazeneca and CARO Evaluation of Radio-modifiers) awards announced - five Canadians win

Breast-reconstruction procedure can preserve mammary artery for future cardiac surgery

MD Anderson initiates orders of Cesium-131 to help control intermediate risk prostate cancer

Clinical study: Higher radiation dose does not improve overall survival for NSCLC

More than three-quarters of cancer patients have vitamin D deficiency

Cancer patients prefer to use Web-based technology for quality of life survey

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