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.

Elekta Unity (MR/RT) featured in 20 abstracts at ESTRO

Advances in magnetic resonance radiation therapy (MR/RT) has the potential to transform accuracy, efficiency and clinical outcomes in radiation therapy.

9 May 2017

Elekta Unity introduced transformative magnetic resonance radiation therapy at ESTRO

Through intelligent and pioneering design, Elekta Unity (MR-linac) combines the best of both worlds to create a new paradigm for cancer care and provide extraordinary potential for ‘hard to treat’ cancers.

9 May 2017

Elekta demonstrate high definition dynamic radiosurgery with Versa HD and Monaco at ESTRO

Exhibit and events to highlight High definition Dynamic Radiosurgery with Versa HD and Monaco treatment planning software.

9 May 2017

Precise delivery of HDR brachytherapy provides good quality of life to prostate cancer patients

Doctors have found that treating prostate cancer with a single, high dose of radiation delivered precisely to the site of the tumor results in good quality of life and fewer trips to the hospital, with adverse side effects that are no worse than if the radiation treatment had been given in several lower doses.

8 May 2017

Adaptive radiation treatment decreases incidence of pneumonitis in lung cancer patients

Lung cancer patients who are treated with radiotherapy can develop an inflammation of the lung tissue called pneumonitis; this can limit the dose of radiation they can receive and severe forms of pneumonitis if left untreated, can be fatal.

5 May 2017

Scientists identify RIOK1 enzyme as new target for cancer therapy

Dr. Florian Weinberg, from Prof. Dr. Tilman Brummer's research group at the Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research of the University of Freiburg, joined forces with scientists from the Departments of Clinical Pathology and Medicine I of the University Medical Centre Freiburg and the Kinghorn Cancer Centre/Garvan Insitute in Australia in an international team that has identified a new target for cancer therapy.

5 May 2017

Recurrence of HPV-negative HNSCC after radiation therapy linked to high tumor levels of PD-L1 protein

Recurrence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) negative for human papillomavirus (HPV) following radiation therapy was associated with high tumor levels of the protein PD-L1.

5 May 2017

Stereotactic radiation provides effective, noninvasive treatment option for kidney cancer patients

Kidney cancer patients may soon have an alternative to traditional treatments, new research at UT Southwestern Medical Center's Kidney Cancer Program of the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center shows.

2 May 2017

Study finds shorter course of radiation therapy given after mastectomy to be safe and effective

A shorter course of radiation therapy given to breast cancer patients following mastectomy is safe and effective and cuts treatment time in half. That is according to data from a phase II clinical trial conducted by Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey investigators and other colleagues who examined a hypofractionated regimen given over three weeks versus the traditional six week course of treatment.

2 May 2017

Study reveals promising results for primary liver cancer patients treated with SIR-Spheres Y-90 resin microspheres

Patients with advanced or inoperable Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) who usually received one or two treatments with liver-directed SIR-Spheres Y-90 resin microspheres in the 459-patient French SARAH study had similar survival compared to patients who received standard twice-daily systemic treatment with sorafenib, but with less than half the number and significantly fewer severe treatment-related adverse effects and significantly better Quality of Life, according to data presented here at The International Liver Congress™ 2017.

26 Apr 2017

NCCN Radiation Therapy Compendium adds nine new clinical practice guidelines in oncology

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network continues to build its NCCN Radiation Therapy Compendium with the publication of radiation therapy (RT) recommendations from an additional nine NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology

19 Apr 2017

Combined treatment regimen shows early promise in eliminating metastatic prostate cancer

In the past, all forms of metastatic prostate cancer have been considered incurable. In recent years, the FDA has approved six drugs for men with metastatic disease, all of which can increase survival.

18 Apr 2017

ASTRO issues new clinical guideline for management of oropharyngeal cancer with radiation therapy

The American Society for Radiation Oncology today issued a new clinical guideline for the management of oropharyngeal cancer.

17 Apr 2017

Clinical study examines impact of yoga on side-effects caused by prostate cancer treatment

Men who attended a structured yoga class twice a week during prostate cancer radiation treatment reported less fatigue and better sexual and urinary function than those who didn't, according to a clinical trial led by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

6 Apr 2017

Protocol violations in reduced radiotherapy lead to worse outcomes in children with brain tumors

A team of investigators has determined that young children participating in a clinical trial to assess the effectiveness of reduced radiotherapy did worse when there were deviations from the treatment protocol.

6 Apr 2017

Genetic screening and counseling likely to benefit childhood cancer survivors, study suggests

Twelve percent of childhood cancer survivors carry germline mutations that put them or their children at increased risk of developing cancer, according to a landmark study presented today at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

4 Apr 2017

Researchers identify biomarker for likely aggressive, early-stage breast cancers

The one-size-fits-all approach to early stage breast cancer creates a paradox: Millions of dollars are spent on unnecessary surgeries and radiation to treat women with low-risk 'in situ' lesions, an estimated 85% of which would never progress to invasive cancers.

4 Apr 2017

Combination of TTFields with standard therapies may improve survival in pancreatic cancer patients

Novocure announced today results from the second cohort of its phase 2 pilot PANOVA trial studying Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) in combination with nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.

31 Mar 2017

Researchers find antibody to be effective against radiation-induced fibrosis

Radiation therapy is part of the treatment regimen for about two thirds of cancer patients today. Radiotherapy is well tolerated in most cases, but it can also lead to damage in healthy tissues that are also irradiated.

31 Mar 2017

Virtual environment education decreases anxiety before prostate cancer treatment

Radiation therapists and physicians know that education can reduce anxiety before radiation treatment but lack a standardized tool. In an effort to solve this problem, a multidisciplinary team from Jefferson College of Health Professions and Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University conducted a pilot study to see if a virtual environment education program could reduce some of the anxiety their patients face.

25 Mar 2017

Radiation Therapy News and Research

Further Reading

Elekta Unity (MR/RT) featured in 20 abstracts at ESTRO

Elekta Unity introduced transformative magnetic resonance radiation therapy at ESTRO

Elekta demonstrate high definition dynamic radiosurgery with Versa HD and Monaco at ESTRO

Precise delivery of HDR brachytherapy provides good quality of life to prostate cancer patients

Adaptive radiation treatment decreases incidence of pneumonitis in lung cancer patients

Scientists identify RIOK1 enzyme as new target for cancer therapy

Recurrence of HPV-negative HNSCC after radiation therapy linked to high tumor levels of PD-L1 protein

Stereotactic radiation provides effective, noninvasive treatment option for kidney cancer patients

Study finds shorter course of radiation therapy given after mastectomy to be safe and effective

Study reveals promising results for primary liver cancer patients treated with SIR-Spheres Y-90 resin microspheres

NCCN Radiation Therapy Compendium adds nine new clinical practice guidelines in oncology

Combined treatment regimen shows early promise in eliminating metastatic prostate cancer

ASTRO issues new clinical guideline for management of oropharyngeal cancer with radiation therapy

Clinical study examines impact of yoga on side-effects caused by prostate cancer treatment

Protocol violations in reduced radiotherapy lead to worse outcomes in children with brain tumors

Genetic screening and counseling likely to benefit childhood cancer survivors, study suggests

Researchers identify biomarker for likely aggressive, early-stage breast cancers

Combination of TTFields with standard therapies may improve survival in pancreatic cancer patients

Researchers find antibody to be effective against radiation-induced fibrosis

Virtual environment education decreases anxiety before prostate cancer treatment

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

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