Radiotherapy News and Research

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Radiation therapy (in North America), or radiotherapy (in the UK and Australia) also called radiation oncology, and sometimes abbreviated to XRT, is the medical use of ionizing radiation as part of cancer treatment to control malignant cells (not to be confused with radiology, the use of radiation in medical imaging and diagnosis).

Relieving Symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis with Exercise

We know that exercise is beneficial in helping someone to maintain their lung function, stay strong and active and maintain a good quality of life. We also know that exercise can complement ‘airway clearance techniques’ – breathing exercises prescribed by physiotherapists to help clear the lungs of mucus.

14 Dec 2017

Researchers adopt new approach to treating advanced prostate cancer

Scientists have proposed a new approach to preventing the proliferation of prostate tumor cells that are no longer responding to treatment. Prostate cancer can usually be cured via surgical removal of the tumor and/or the use of radiotherapy, but in one-fifth of cases, patients also require treatment with drugs to continue removing tumor cells. However, these drugs are only effective for up to three years, after which the cancer continues to develop.

13 Dec 2017

Researchers discover new way to attack drug-resistant prostate cancer cells

In most cases, prostate cancer is cured by surgical removal of the tumor and/or by radiotherapy. However, 20% of patients will need treatment to remove tumor cells but this treatment ceases to be effective after two or three years and the cancer develops further.

13 Dec 2017

Study provides new insights into mechanism of tumor survival in glioblastoma

A Northwestern Medicine study, published in the journal Cancer Cell, has provided new insights into a mechanism of tumor survival in glioblastoma and demonstrated that inhibiting the process could enhance the effects of radiation therapy.

11 Dec 2017

PET scans can predict prostate cancer patients’ response to salvage radiation treatment

For prostate cancer patients who have rising levels of PSA (a cancer indicator) even after radical prostatectomy, early treatment makes a difference.

5 Dec 2017

Adults that survived childhood cancer are at risk of developing hypertension, study reveals

A new study, published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, indicates that adult survivors of childhood cancer were found to have a twofold increased risk of hypertension (high blood pressure) as adults, when compared with the general population.

24 Nov 2017

Study uncovers key mechanism by which tumors develop resistance to radiation therapy

A Ludwig Cancer Research study has uncovered a key mechanism by which tumors develop resistance to radiation therapy and shown how such resistance might be overcome with drugs that are currently under development.

23 Nov 2017

Childhood cancer survivors more likely to have high blood pressure as adults

People who survived childhood cancer were more than twice as likely as the general population to have high blood pressure (hypertension) as adults.

22 Nov 2017

Pioneering research to grow mini bowel cancer tumor models in the lab

Charity Cancer Research UK has awarded the University of Birmingham £1.5 million to fund a five-year research program aimed at finding new treatments for bowel cancer.

6 Nov 2017

New global trial to test whether exercise could be prescribed alongside prostate cancer treatment

Queen's University Belfast are taking part in a global trial to test whether exercise should be prescribed to treat patients with advanced prostate cancer.

3 Nov 2017

University of Birmingham researchers receive £1.5 million to find new treatments for bowel cancer

Charity Cancer Research UK has awarded the University of Birmingham £1.5 million to fund a five-year research program aimed at finding new treatments for bowel cancer.

2 Nov 2017

Starving childhood brain tumor of amino acid could improve effect of chemotherapy, study shows

Starving a childhood brain tumor of the amino acid glutamine could improve the effect of chemotherapy, according to an early study led by Queen Mary University of London and funded by Children with Cancer UK and the Medical Research Council.

1 Nov 2017

Queen's University Belfast leads new research to better understand biology of prostate cancer

Queen's University Belfast has led the world's largest research study using a diagnostic test developed by Almac Diagnostics, to better understand the biology of prostate cancer tumors, which could lead to a transformation in how prostate cancer is diagnosed and treated.

23 Oct 2017

Xstrahl receives FDA 510 (k) clearance for marketing its Photoelectric Therapy System

The Photoelectric Therapy System is a compact and ergonomic superficial X-Ray therapy system operating in the 10 kV to 80 kV range intended for superficial radiotherapy and surface electronic brachytherapy treatment of primary malignant epithelial neoplasms of the skin and keloids.

From Xstrahl 19 Oct 2017

New U-M study examines why overtreatment in older breast cancer patients persists

Recent clinical trials have shown that 90 percent of early stage breast cancer patients over age 70 do not benefit from radiation after breast-conserving surgery. And yet, use of radiation in this context has dropped only minimally.

9 Oct 2017

Tattoo ink from 15 years ago mimics lymph node cancer: Case study

A 30 year old Australian woman presented to the doctors with numerous small lumps under her arms for around two weeks. When one of the nodes were put under the microscope, the doctors found pigments from tattoo ink that she’d got 15 years back.

4 Oct 2017

New radiotherapy technology reduces treatment times with improved accuracy

Patients at UC San Diego Health in need of radiation therapy now have access to the next generation of radiation treatment technology. The new radiotherapy system significantly reduces treatment times with improved accuracy.

3 Oct 2017

Blood test may predict treatment outcomes for patients with localized NSCLC

A new study demonstrates that a blood test to detect cancer may predict treatment outcomes for patients with localized non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and afford physicians additional lead time to personalize treatment for recurrent disease.

28 Sep 2017

$Hypofractionated breast radiation therapy safe and effective in women under 50, study finds$

Hypofractionated breast radiation therapy safe and effective in women under 50, study finds

A higher-dose, shorter form of radiation is safe, effective, and no more damaging to the breast tissue or skin of breast cancer patients under age 50 than it is in older patients.

25 Sep 2017

Researchers explore new combination approach to treat high-risk soft-tissue sarcomas

University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers are investigating a new approach to treat high-risk soft-tissue sarcomas by combining two immunotherapy drugs with radiation therapy to stimulate the immune system to destroy the main tumor as well as leftover microscopic cancer cells that may seed other tumors.

20 Sep 2017