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.

Gentium presents abstract on Defibrotide at EBMT Annual Meeting

Gentium S.p.A.today announced that the abstract titled, "Defibrotide prevents hepatic VOD and reduces significantly VOD-associated complications in children at high risk: final results of a prospective phase II/III multicenter study," was presented on Sunday, March 21, 2010, at the opening session of the European Blood and Marrow Transplantation 36th Annual Meeting in Vienna. The abstract received the esteemed Van Bekkum Award for the best abstract submitted to the physician's program. Dr. Selim Corbacioglu, Professor of Pediatrics, University of Regensburg (Germany) and Principal Investigator of the Pediatric Prevention trial, accepted the award and presented the final results of the study.

24 Mar 2010

Alliance Imaging to offer mobile PEM imaging services in the state of Florida

Naviscan announced today that Alliance Imaging, a division of Alliance Healthcare Services, will be offering mobile Positron Emission Mammography imaging services in the state of Florida. Alliance Imaging will be providing turnkey service which includes transporting the PEM scanner from site to site, a technologist to perform the scan and the necessary radiopharmaceutical, 18F-FDG.

22 Mar 2010

BSD Medical files 510(k) submission for premarket clearance of Phase II MTX-180

BSD Medical Corporation today announced that the Company has filed a 510(k) submission with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for premarket clearance of the Company's Phase II MicroThermX® Microwave Ablation System for ablation of soft tissue.

22 Mar 2010

Breast cancer survivors at increased risk of developing second cancer: Study

Certain rare mutations in the ataxia telangiectasia mutated gene, combined with radiation exposure, may increase a woman's risk of developing a second cancer in the opposite breast, according to a study published online March 19 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

20 Mar 2010

QUANTEC review: Updated recommendations for safe irradiation of 16 organs

The Quantitative Analysis of Normal Tissue Effects in the Clinic (QUANTEC) review has been published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) to update recommendations for the safe irradiation of 16 organs. For each organ, the relationship between dose/volume and clinical outcome is reviewed. These reviews replace initial recommendations published in 1991.

19 Mar 2010

MR-guided ablation therapy may hold promise for treatment of prostate cancer recurrences

The first known patient cases using magnetic resonance-guided heat (laser interstitial thermal therapy) or cold (cryoablation) to treat prostate cancer recurrence after surgical removal of the prostate gland were presented by physicians at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 35th Annual Scientific Meeting in Tampa. Many of these patients have also failed salvage radiation treatment and are often presented with limited therapeutic options. MR-guided focal therapy offers a new treatment choice for patients because of the improved detection of early prostate cancer recurrences best seen with MR imaging.

18 Mar 2010

Varian Medical Systems to showcase radiotherapy and radiosurgery solutions at medical events in Asia

Varian Medical Systems, Inc., the world's leading manufacturer of medical technology for treating cancer with radiotherapy and radiosurgery, will showcase its technology at two medical events in Asia during the month of March:

18 Mar 2010

Standardized skin-care guidelines

Given the complexity of cancer treatment, skin care may seem like a small matter. However, a nurse at the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center knew that skin issues were a constant source of anxiety for many patients receiving radiation therapy, and through research she discovered that routine advice was rooted in myth instead of scientific evidence.

18 Mar 2010

SBRT can improve survival rates for patients with inoperable non-small cell lung cancer

Highly-focused stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) can eliminate the targeted tumor while avoiding treatment-related illness and may ultimately improve survival for patients with inoperable non-small cell lung cancer, according to early findings of a Radiation Therapy Oncology Group study published in the March 17 cancer-themed issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

18 Mar 2010

Watchful waiting is viable option for many men with low risk prostate cancer

Active surveillance, also referred to as watchful waiting, is a viable option for many men with low risk prostate cancer although the concept continues to cause distress and confusion. James L. Mohler, MD, of Roswell Park Cancer Institute and chair of the NCCN Guidelines Panel for Prostate Cancer, discussed the role of active surveillance as well as other treatment options recommended in the recently updated NCCN Guidelines™ for Prostate Cancer at the NCCN 15th Annual Conference.

18 Mar 2010

Cryotherapy may become the future treatment for cancer

Cryotherapy, an interventional radiology treatment to freeze cancer tumors, may become the treatment of the future for cancer that has metastasized in soft tissues (such as ovarian cancer) and in bone tumors.

18 Mar 2010

SBRT doubles rate of primary tumor control compared to conventional radiotherapy

Early findings suggest a radiation therapy that involves numerous highly-focused and potent radiation beams provides targeted tumor control in nearly all patients, reduces treatment-related illness, and may ultimately improve survival for patients with inoperable non-small cell lung cancer, according to a study in the March 17 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on cancer.

18 Mar 2010

SBRT improves survival in patients with inoperable non-small cell lung cancer

17 Mar 2010

SBRT may improve survival rates for lung-cancer patients: Study

A radiation therapy that uses multiple radiation beams to target tumors precisely has been shown to eliminate the primary tumor and ultimately may improve survival rates for lung-cancer patients unable to undergo surgery, according to UT Southwestern Medical Center physicians who led a national clinical trial of the treatment.

17 Mar 2010

Liver cancer: Treatment with intra-arterial yttrium-90 microspheres promising

An interventional radiology treatment-the use of intra-arterial yttrium-90 microspheres for liver cancer (also known as hepatocellular carcinoma)-shows promise in prolonging life for many patients with this devastating condition, according to researchers at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 35th Annual Scientific Meeting in Tampa, Fla.

17 Mar 2010

RayStation treatment planning system receives FDA marketing clearance

RaySearch Laboratories AB has received FDA 510(k) clearance for its RayStation® treatment planning system.

17 Mar 2010

Novel procedure opens door to new and future treatment for pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer-known as the most fatal cancer with no known effective treatment-requires a radical new therapy. A promising approach may come in the form of tiny gold nanoparticles-loaded with a therapeutic agent to kill cancer-in a novel procedure called "nanoembolization," said researchers at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 35th Annual Scientific Meeting in Tampa, Fla.

17 Mar 2010

MedSolutions launches oncology management program for cancer patients

MedSolutions (www.medsolutions.com), a leading provider of medical cost management services, today announced the launch of its oncology management program, which uses evidence-based guidelines to ensure appropriate use of diagnostic imaging, radiation therapy and drugs for cancer patients.

17 Mar 2010

Researchers explore new tools to mitigate risk of radiation exposure

Doctors have a clearer picture than ever before of how much radiation reaches sensitive tissues during routine X-rays and similar imaging, thanks to sophisticated models of the human body being developed at the University of Florida.

17 Mar 2010

UVA Health System offers Gamma Knife eXtend system to treat patients with head and neck cancer

A powerful new tool available at the University of Virginia Health System offers treatment to patients with some of the most challenging cancers of the head and neck.

16 Mar 2010