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.

DePuy Synthes Spine expands collaboration with Brainlab

DePuy Synthes Spine announced it is expanding its collaboration with Brainlab through the worldwide launch of navigation-ready instrumentation for its leading spine systems, and an exclusive global agreement to co-market Airo Mobile Intraoperative CT by Brainlab.

11 Oct 2013

Gemcitabine drug improves survival rates in patients with pancreatic cancer

Among patients with pancreatic cancer who had surgery for removal of the cancer, treatment with the drug gemcitabine for 6 months resulted in increased overall survival as well as disease-free survival, compared with observation alone, according to a study in the October 9 issue of JAMA.

9 Oct 2013

Clinical study to determine sentinel lymph node surgery in patients with breast cancer

Judy C. Boughey, M.D., Kelly K. Hunt, M.D., and colleagues for the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology conducted a study to determine the false-negative rate of sentinel lymph node surgery in patients with node-positive breast cancer receiving chemotherapy before surgery.

8 Oct 2013

PET scan shows promise in predicting patients with inoperable lung cancer

Advanced imaging with Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan shows great promise in predicting which patients with inoperable lung cancer have more aggressive tumors and need additional treatment following standard chemotherapy/radiation therapy, according to new research recently published online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

8 Oct 2013

New biomarker for pancreatic cancer effectively targets potential therapy for small survival rate

University of Cincinnati (UC) researchers have discovered a biomarker, known as phosphatidylserine (PS), for pancreatic cancer that could be effectively targeted, creating a potential therapy for a condition that has a small survival rate.

5 Oct 2013

Hypertension Drug May Aid Cancer Treatment

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2 Oct 2013

Esteya system for high precision skin cancer treatment gets FDA clearance

Esteya, an electronic brachytherapy system, has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, enabling medical centers in the United States to offer their patients with skin cancer a new treatment option.

From Elekta 2 Oct 2013

Nia exercise benefits individuals with breast cancer

Researchers from ProMedica Cancer Institute have released new findings about the benefits of Nia exercise for individuals with breast cancer. Nia is a sensory-based movement practice that heals the body using music and movement.

2 Oct 2013

Genomic instability in CFS is associated with less favorable outcome in patients with CaP

Detailed evaluation of a prostate cancer tumor biopsy may predict treatment outcomes for image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) or surgery for prostate cancer, according to research presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO's) 55th Annual Meeting.

27 Sep 2013

Use of feeding tubes in OPC cancer patients treated with IMPT decreased by 50%

A new study from researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center found that the use of feeding tubes in oropharyngeal carcinoma cancer patients treated with intensity modulated proton therapy decreased by more than 50 percent compared to patients treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy.

26 Sep 2013

Study evaluates reliability of scale to assess toxicity for patients receiving radiation therapy

The North Shore-LIJ Health System Department of Radiation Medicine presented a novel study to evaluate the reliability of different systems used by caregivers to assess toxicity for patients receiving radiation therapy. The study will be presented at the 55th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology in Atlanta, GA.

26 Sep 2013

Results of NovaRx's Lucanix Phase III trial in non-small cell lung cancer to be presented at ESMO 2013

NovaRx Corporation announced that the detailed results from the randomized Phase III trial of Lucanix (belagenpumatucel-L) post-frontline maintenance therapy in non-small cell lung cancer will be presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology 2013 annual meeting in Amsterdam.

26 Sep 2013

Wayne State aims to develop advanced education program for radiation oncology

The number of patients receiving radiation therapy in the United States for cancer treatment is expected to increase by more than 20 percent over the next decade to almost 600,000 per year. But radiation research over the past decade has decreased substantially, making it more difficult to provide oncologists with the best training in the latest techniques, particularly the integration of medical physics, which is now a required aspect in the clinical practice of radiotherapy.

26 Sep 2013

Research finds no increased risks of mortality for early-stage breast cancer patients receiving XRT

Early-stage breast cancer patients who receive external beam therapy (XRT) are not at higher risk for serious long-term side effects in the chest area, including increase in deaths from cardiac disease and secondary malignancies, according to research presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology's 55th Annual Meeting.

25 Sep 2013

Fat grafting shows promise as effective treatment for scars

Millions of people with scars suffer from pain, discomfort, and inability to perform regular activities. Some may have to revert to addicting pain medicine to get rid of their ailments.

25 Sep 2013

Targeted radiation therapy may offer safe treatment option for elderly pancreatic cancer patients

A highly targeted cancer radiation therapy may offer a safe and effective treatment option for elderly pancreatic cancer patients unable to undergo surgery or combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy, according to researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

25 Sep 2013

Proton therapy reduces treatment side effects among head and neck cancer patients

The precise targeting and limited dosing of radiation via proton therapy is proving to be an advantage in ongoing efforts to reduce treatment side effects among head and neck cancer patients, according to a new study of pediatric patients from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

25 Sep 2013

Researchers blame HPV for increased number of young adults with oropharyngeal cancer

The human papillomavirus (HPV) may be to blame for the alarming increase of young adults with oropharyngeal cancer, according to researchers from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

25 Sep 2013

miR-31 in primary tumor cells predicts lymph node metastasis in NSCLC patients

Determining whether a patient's lung cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes is critical for identifying the most effective therapy, but it usually requires surgery. A new study suggests, however, that measuring levels of a particular molecule in a sample of tumor tissue might accurately answer the question.

25 Sep 2013

Sulfasalazine drug does not reduce diarrhea for patients receiving pelvic radiation therapy: Study

Sulfasalazine, a drug commonly prescribed to reduce diarrhea in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, does not reduce diarrhea in patients receiving radiation therapy for cancers in the pelvic area a Mayo Clinic-led study has found.

24 Sep 2013

Radiation Therapy News and Research

Further Reading

DePuy Synthes Spine expands collaboration with Brainlab

Gemcitabine drug improves survival rates in patients with pancreatic cancer

Clinical study to determine sentinel lymph node surgery in patients with breast cancer

PET scan shows promise in predicting patients with inoperable lung cancer

New biomarker for pancreatic cancer effectively targets potential therapy for small survival rate

Hypertension Drug May Aid Cancer Treatment

Esteya system for high precision skin cancer treatment gets FDA clearance

Nia exercise benefits individuals with breast cancer

Genomic instability in CFS is associated with less favorable outcome in patients with CaP

Use of feeding tubes in OPC cancer patients treated with IMPT decreased by 50%

Study evaluates reliability of scale to assess toxicity for patients receiving radiation therapy

Results of NovaRx's Lucanix Phase III trial in non-small cell lung cancer to be presented at ESMO 2013

Wayne State aims to develop advanced education program for radiation oncology

Research finds no increased risks of mortality for early-stage breast cancer patients receiving XRT

Fat grafting shows promise as effective treatment for scars

Targeted radiation therapy may offer safe treatment option for elderly pancreatic cancer patients

Proton therapy reduces treatment side effects among head and neck cancer patients

Researchers blame HPV for increased number of young adults with oropharyngeal cancer

miR-31 in primary tumor cells predicts lymph node metastasis in NSCLC patients

Sulfasalazine drug does not reduce diarrhea for patients receiving pelvic radiation therapy: Study

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Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

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