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.

New tool can predict where deadly brain cancer might reappear

Glioblastoma is a devastatingly effective brain cancer. Doctors can cut it out or blast it with radiation, but that only buys time. The cancer has an insidious ability to hide enough tumor cells in tissue around the tumor to allow it to return as deadly as ever.

9 Sep 2025

Androgen deprivation therapy lowers satisfaction after penile prosthesis surgery

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy among men, with over 160,000 new cases diagnosed annually in the United States.

1 Sep 2025

AI-powered virtual MRI imaging enables safer and more accurate tumor detection

During magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedures, contrast agents, such as the rare metal gadolinium, can pose potential health risks.

13 Aug 2025

Research finds long-term health challenges in survivors of childhood cancer

Researchers at City of Hope, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States with its National Medical Center ranked among the nation's top cancer centers by U.S. News & World Report, today published a new study which found that some survivors of childhood cancer are more at risk for serious health issues as they grow older, including new cancers and chronic conditions like heart disease.

11 Aug 2025

AI technology advances early detection of glioblastoma progression

University of Virginia School of Medicine scientists are tapping the power of artificial intelligence to enhance and accelerate treatment for glioblastoma, the deadliest brain cancer.

7 Aug 2025

ChatGPT helps speed up patient screening for clinical trials

A new study in the academic journal Machine Learning: Health discovers that ChatGPT can accelerate patient screening for clinical trials, showing promise in reducing delays and improving trial success rates.

1 Aug 2025

Rethinking prostate cancer risk in GG1 diagnoses

A new study reveals that some men who are diagnosed with "Grade Group one" (GG1) prostate cancer may actually be at higher risk than biopsy results suggest, according to research led by Weill Cornell Medicine, University Hospitals Cleveland and Case Western University.

31 Jul 2025

Synergistic effects of radiation and immunotherapy boost anti-tumor immunity

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are a group of cancers that affect cells in and around our mouth and nose.

29 Jul 2025

Radiation primes the immune system to attack lung tumors resistant to immunotherapy

By sparking the immune system into action, radiation therapy makes certain tumors that resist immunotherapy susceptible to the treatment, leading to positive outcomes for patients, according to new research by investigators at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and the Netherlands Cancer Institute.

22 Jul 2025

Hydrogels could be key to safer, smarter cancer drug delivery

Hydrogels could revolutionize cancer treatment by facilitating targeted drug delivery, reducing adverse effects, and enhancing therapeutic effectiveness.

11 Jul 2025

How hydrogels are shaping the future of targeted cancer drug delivery

A large-scale bibliometric analysis maps global research on hydrogels as next-generation drug delivery systems for cancer therapy. The study highlights emerging trends, key contributors, and future directions to advance precision medicine in oncology.

10 Jul 2025

Multifunctional nanodisk enables cancer diagnosis, treatment and immune activation

The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS, President Lee Ho Seong) has successfully developed a nanomaterial capable of simultaneously performing cancer diagnosis, treatment, and immune response induction.

7 Jul 2025

Aromatic benzaldehyde inhibits growth of therapy-resistant pancreatic cancer

During therapy, some cancer cells evolve to escape elimination. Newer anticancer drugs that can overcome this resistance are necessary.

2 Jul 2025

AI tool matches doctors in accurately outlining lung tumors on CT scans

In radiation therapy, precision can save lives. Oncologists must carefully map the size and location of a tumor before delivering high-dose radiation to destroy cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.

1 Jul 2025

Blood test detects early signs of liver transplant rejection

Liver transplant is a lifesaving surgery, but a significant number of patients experience organ rejection or other complications.

17 Jun 2025

Engineered viruses and gene therapy halt tumor growth and extend survival in mice

This study reveals the potential of engineered phage-IL-12 therapy in melanoma, enhancing immune response and tumor destruction in aggressive cancer models.

2 Jun 2025

Mass General Brigham researchers share cancer research discoveries at ASCO 2025

Researchers from Mass General Brigham will present research discoveries and outcomes from clinical trials in cancer at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, held May 30-June 3, in Chicago.

30 May 2025

New plant-derived therapy shows promise for cancer pain relief

RTX is a non-addictive pain therapy derived from a cactus-like plant.

29 May 2025

New blood test detects HPV-linked head and neck cancer with unmatched accuracy

A new liquid biopsy blood test could help detect cases of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated head and neck cancers with significantly higher accuracy than currently used methods, including before patients develop symptoms, according to new Mass General Brigham research.

20 May 2025

Shorter radiation treatment after surgery found safe for prostate cancer patients

For men who undergo a radical prostatectomy for the treatment of prostate cancer, post-surgery radiation therapy can play a vital role in reducing the risk of recurrence.

15 May 2025