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.

How fast your face ages may predict cancer survival outcomes

The study links facial aging rates to cancer outcomes, suggesting a new prognostic tool that could personalize treatment and enhance patient survival.

1 May 2026

AI tool estimates biological age from photos to predict cancer outcomes

The Mass General Brigham research team behind FaceAge, an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can estimate a person's biological age from a single photo, is reporting in a new study that estimating biological age from multiple photos taken over time can provide even more information about how well a person with cancer will do with treatment.

28 Apr 2026

Bioengineered chewing gum reduces cancer-linked oral microbes

Researchers led by Henry Daniell of the School of Dental Medicine have shown that extracts from bioengineered chewing gum reduce the levels of three microbes known to be associated with head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC), paving the way for more effective and affordable therapies.

23 Apr 2026

Immunotherapy drug helps bladder cancer patients avoid major organ removal

A drug that helps the immune system find cancer cells also helps patients avoid having their bladders surgically removed (cystectomy), a new study shows.

22 Apr 2026

New review advances personalized care for meningioma patients

A comprehensive new review led by Mayo Clinic is helping shape how clinicians diagnose and treat meningioma, the most common primary brain tumor, with a focus on personalized, patient-centered care and the latest advances in precision oncology.

17 Apr 2026

ACP recommends biennial mammography for women aged 50 to 74

New guidance from the American College of Physicians (ACP) says all asymptomatic, average-risk females ages 50 to 74 should receive biennial screening mammography for breast cancer.

17 Apr 2026

Letrozole monotherapy falls short in ovarian cancer clinical trial

Late breaking results from the phase III NRG GY019 trial indicate that letrozole monotherapy (L) did not demonstrate non inferiority to paclitaxel/carboplatin followed by letrozole (PC/L) for progression free survival (PFS) in patients with newly diagnosed stage II-IV low grade serous carcinoma of the ovary or peritoneum.

11 Apr 2026

High-dose radiation improves survival in large bile duct tumors

A new study from researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center demonstrates that a specialized high-dose type of radiation delivery may significantly improve outcomes for patients with large bile duct tumors in the liver, known as intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

2 Apr 2026

PSMA therapy may postpone hormone treatment in prostate cancer patients

Where previous research showed that PSMA therapy for prostate cancer can prolong the lives of patients who have exhausted all other treatment options, a new study now demonstrates that the therapy is also effective in an earlier stage of the disease.

30 Mar 2026

Breast cancer patients may avoid lymphedema with radiotherapy approach

Patients with breast cancer may be able to avoid lymphedema, which can occur after surgery to remove lymph nodes in the armpit (the axilla), by having radiotherapy instead.

25 Mar 2026

Personalized radiotherapy reduces the risk of breast cancer recurrence

The chances of breast cancer recurring remain very low when patients are treated with radiotherapy that is tailored to their individual risk following chemotherapy and surgery. These are the findings of a ten-year study presented at the 15th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC15) in Barcelona today (Wednesday).

24 Mar 2026

Clinical trial tests a newer, targeted therapy for IDH mutant astrocytoma

A new clinical trial led by the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology will investigate if a combination of drug therapies after radiation therapy improves outcomes for people with newly-diagnosed, grade 3 IDH-mutant astrocytoma, a type of brain cancer.

16 Mar 2026

Defining the limits of immunotherapy in early small-cell lung cancer

Immunotherapy given during and after chemoradiation did not improve survival for study participants with limited-stage, small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) according to the results of an international clinical trial, NRG-LU005, led by NRG Oncology in collaboration with the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology. The results are published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

13 Mar 2026

Decoding the neighborhood dynamics of childhood brain cancer

New research published in Nature finds that tumor cells within supratentorial ependymomas (SE) – an aggressive childhood brain cancer – cluster into distinct tumor cell populations. Much like a neighborhood in your hometown, each cell subtype within these "communities" has a specific (and previously unappreciated) role to play.

12 Mar 2026

New protein target for safer lung cancer therapy

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have identified a protein linked to an increased risk of metastasis and recurrence in lung cancer. The findings are presented in a study that paves the way for new precision medicine approaches, particularly for older patients.

12 Mar 2026

New approach to reducing radiation toxicity

Radiation therapy is highly effective at killing cancer cells, but it often harms healthy skin around the treatment area, a common side effect experienced by up to 95% of cancer patients undergoing treatment. In worst-case scenarios, it can result in delayed or halted treatment.

26 Feb 2026

Assessing long-term cognitive risks in ependymoma survivors

A study led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital assessed cognitive and communication abilities in children treated for the brain tumor ependymoma to understand the impact of treatment better. They found that radiation was a significant contributor to hearing loss, a risk directly linked to cognitive health.

23 Feb 2026

Stereotactic radiation improves quality of life in patients with brain metastases

In a Phase 3 randomized trial, Mass General Brigham researchers found that stereotactic radiation targeting individual tumors led to lower symptom burden, better cognitive outcomes, and better day to day function when compared with whole brain radiation

19 Feb 2026

NCCN publishes new guidelines for management of pediatric soft tissue sarcomas

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) today published new NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) for Pediatric Soft Tissue Sarcomas.

17 Feb 2026