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).

Etoposide plus cisplatin remains best for limited-stage SCLC

Etoposide plus cisplatin, given alongside accelerated hyperfractionated thoracic radiotherapy, remains the gold standard regimen for patients with limited-stage small-cell lung cancer, Japanese researchers say.

23 Jan 2014

EORTC trial follow-up shows chemo-radiotherapy for patients with rectal cancer does not improve survival

Appearing in Lancet Oncology, long term results of EORTC trial 22921 with 10.4 years median follow-up show that 5-FU (fluorouracil) based adjuvant chemotherapy after preoperative (chemo)-radiotherapy for patients with cT3-resectable T4 M0 rectal cancer does not improve survival or disease-free survival.

23 Jan 2014

Girls treated for Hodgkin's disease during adolescence acquire risk of developing breast cancer

Girls treated for Hodgkin's disease during adolescence acquire a considerable risk of developing breast cancer, as shown by an observational study published in the current issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International.

22 Jan 2014

Agenus' Prophage vaccine Phase 2 study hailed in Neuro-Oncology journal

Agenus Inc., a biotechnology company developing novel immune system activating treatments for cancers and infectious diseases, announced that Phase 2 results of Prophage G-200 vaccine in recurrent patients with glioblastoma multiforme were hailed as 'exciting' and a 'very promising therapy' in an editorial published in Neuro-Oncology, the leading journal of the Society of Neuro-Oncology.

21 Jan 2014

Prostate cancer vaccines receive a boost in funding

The development of two innovative new vaccines that are hoped to offer an alternative to castration therapy for men with recurring prostate cancer, is due for an $8 million boost in funding.

16 Jan 2014

Varian Medical Systems' updated ProBeam proton therapy system gets FDA clearance

Varian Medical Systems has received FDA 510(k) clearance for its updated ProBeam proton therapy system.

15 Jan 2014

Carl Zeiss Meditec acquires 100% of shares in Aaren Scientific

Carl Zeiss Meditec AG announces it has acquired, through its subsidiary Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc., 100% of the shares in Aaren Scientific Inc., a US-based manufacturer of intraocular lenses (IOLs). Aaren Scientific, headquartered in Ontario, California, has been manufacturing IOLs for more than two decades. The majority of shares in Aaren Scientific had previously been owned by a private investment company as well as other investors, including the CEO and co-founder of Aaren Scientific, Rick Aguilera, who along with the entire management team will stay on board after the transaction.

8 Jan 2014

Researchers work on alternative therapy to boost immune system of patients with lung cancer

Research from the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases informs that besides smoking, there are other factors associated to the development of lung cancer such as the smoke from burning lumber and coal, as well as pollutant particles.

7 Jan 2014

Researchers receive $540M from Ludwig Cancer Research to accelerate research on metastasis

Cancer researchers at the University of Chicago and five other leading institutions will share equally in a $540 million gift from Ludwig Cancer Research, on behalf of its founder Daniel K. Ludwig. Ludwig Cancer Research is an international community of researchers dedicated to pursuing life-changing discoveries to alter the course of cancer.

7 Jan 2014

Adenosine deaminase has potential to improve prognosis, diagnosis and treatment of ESCC

Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ESCC), the major histological form of esophageal cancer, is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have discovered a biomarker, called adenosine deaminase acting on RNA-1 (ADAR1), which has the potential to improve the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of this disease.

6 Jan 2014

Editing of protein-making sequences promotes development of ESCC, find NUS researchers

Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, the major histological form of esophageal cancer, is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Scientists from the National University of Singapore have discovered a biomarker, called adenosine deaminase acting on RNA-1, which has the potential to improve the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of this disease.

6 Jan 2014

Study examines prevalence, severity and factors associated with chronic pain after breast cancer surgery

In a study that included more than 800 women who had undergone surgery for breast cancer, the majority reported some level of pain 12 months after surgery, and factors associated with pain included chronic preoperative pain, chemotherapy, preoperative depression and pain in the area to be operated, according to a study appearing in the January 1 issue of JAMA.

2 Jan 2014

Younger women with breast cancer less likely to receive radiotherapy after BCS

Radiotherapy after breast conserving surgery has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence. However, although younger women tend to have more aggressive tumors and have higher risks of recurrence than older BC patients, they are less likely to receive RT after BCS, according to a study published December 24 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Although treatment patterns among older BC patients have been well-studied, factors affecting non-compliance among younger women are not well-known.

25 Dec 2013

European Commission approves update of Erbitux to treat patients with RAS wild-type mCRC

Merck Serono, the biopharmaceutical division of Merck, today announced that the European Commission has approved the Type II variation to amend the Erbitux(cetuximab) product information, updating the indication for Erbitux to the treatment of patients with RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

23 Dec 2013

Researchers start first cancer operation room with navigator

A team of researchers from Gregorio Marañón Hospital, the company GMV and the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) have started the first cancer operation room with a navigator. This image-guided system will allow for increased intraoperative radiotherapy safety.

22 Dec 2013

Researchers discover new way to make chemotherapy treatment effective for pancreatic cancer patients

Scientists from The University of Manchester - part of Manchester Cancer Research Centre believe they have discovered a new way to make chemotherapy treatment more effective for pancreatic cancer patients.

From The University of Manchester 21 Dec 2013

CNAO Foundation places order for RayStation treatment planning system

RaySearch Laboratories AB has received an order for its RayStation® treatment planning system from CNAO Foundation (Centro Nazionale di Adroterapia Oncologica) in Pavia, Italy.

20 Dec 2013

Computer-controlled, rotating table could deliver high doses of radiotherapy to tumors, spare vulnerable organs

Swivelling patients around on a computer-controlled, rotating table could deliver high doses of radiotherapy to tumours more quickly than current methods, while sparing vulnerable organs such as the heart, brain, eyes and bowel.

19 Dec 2013

Neuro-Oncology publishes promising phase 2 results from Agenus’ brain cancer vaccine study

Agenus Inc., a biotechnology company developing novel immune system activating treatments for cancers and infectious diseases, today announced results published from a Phase 2 study demonstrated that more than 90% of the patients treated with Prophage Series G-200 were alive at six months after surgery and 30% were alive at twelve months.

17 Dec 2013

Chest wall resection effective for recurrent mesothelioma

Salvage chest wall resection could lengthen survival in patients with isolated chest wall recurrence of malignant pleural mesothelioma, research indicates.

16 Dec 2013