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.

ASTRO releases updated guidelines for treating locally advanced rectal cancer

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) issued today an updated clinical guideline for physicians who use radiation therapy to treat patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.

25 Nov 2024

Cetuximab performs better than durvalumab in treating head and neck cancers

Head and neck cancers are the seventh most common type of cancer worldwide, according to the 2020 World Cancer Report. Smokers and drinkers, as well as those with HPV infections, are disproportionately affected.

22 Nov 2024

New vaccine shows potential in preventing recurrence of triple-negative breast cancer

A small clinical trial shows promising results for patients with triple-negative breast cancer who received an investigational vaccine designed to prevent recurrence of tumors.

14 Nov 2024

MRI-guided SBRT reduces side effects in prostate cancer treatment

After a comprehensive two-year follow-up, researchers at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center found that MRI-guided stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for prostate cancer significantly reduced long-term side effects and improved quality of life, particularly in bowel and sexual health, compared to conventional CT-guided treatment.

14 Nov 2024

Early radiosurgery for small cranial nerve tumors can prevent future complications

Patients with a small cranial nerve tumor that can cause hearing loss, vertigo, imbalance and ringing in the ears have typically been watched rather than proactively treated, as the risks of early intervention were thought to outweigh the benefits.

12 Nov 2024

Overtreatment of older men with prostate cancer raises concerns

Increasing percentages of some older U.S. men with intermediate-risk and high-risk prostate cancers are undergoing treatments that carry risks of side effects that can significantly reduce the quality of life without extending life, according to a new study led by Cedars-Sinai.

11 Nov 2024

AI-powered MRI predicts outcomes in prostate cancer

Researchers determine whether artificial intelligence-based MRI data could predict prostate cancer patient outcomes.

6 Nov 2024

Radioprotective effects of Licochalcone B against radiation-induced cell damage

Radiation injury poses a serious threat to human health, causing complex and multifaceted damage to cells and tissues. Such injury can be caused by various factors, including nuclear accidents, medical radiation therapy, and space travel.

29 Oct 2024

AI model could help clinicians to understand prostate tumor's aggressiveness

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, and almost 300,000 individuals are diagnosed with it each year in the U.S.

29 Oct 2024

Secure computing enables collaborative cancer research

The research project Federated Secure Computing, funded by the Stifterverband, handles cancer patient data analysis in the European health data space across national borders without sharing any actual data, utilizing the modern cryptographic method - secure multiparty computation. The European research team includes scientists from LMU Munich, Germany, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Italy, and cryptography experts from Cybernetica, Estonia.

24 Oct 2024

ALS drug shows promise in targeting glioblastoma stem cells

Glioblastoma is the most common – and the most malignant – primary brain tumor in adults. It's aggressive and incurable.

17 Oct 2024

Immunotherapy sets new standard for Hodgkin lymphoma care

A treatment that rallies the immune system to destroy cancer raised the survival rate for advanced Hodgkin lymphoma patients to a remarkable 92 percent, suggesting a new standard therapy for the disease.

16 Oct 2024

Short course chemotherapy boosts survival rates in cervical cancer patients

Cervical cancer patients were significantly more likely to be alive and cancer-free after five years when given a short course of chemotherapy prior to chemoradiation, finds a clinical trial led by researchers from UCL and UCLH.

15 Oct 2024

CheekAge: Next-gen epigenetic clock accurately predicts mortality risk

Researchers developed CheekAge, an epigenetic clock based on buccal cells, and found it predicted mortality risk with significant accuracy. This study validates CheekAge as a reliable aging biomarker, outperforming first-generation clocks.

6 Oct 2024

Jefferson Lab team explores proton therapy as a safer cancer treatment

Radiation therapy techniques have been used for more than a century to treat cancers. Physicists in the Radiation Detector and Imaging group and associated with the Biomedical Research & Innovation Center (BRIC) at the U.S. Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility have been for several years pursuing radiation therapy technology improvements in collaboration with the Hampton University Proton Cancer Institute (HUPCI).

4 Oct 2024

New approach enhances radiation treatment for lung cancer brain metastases

In new research, a team led by University of Cincinnati researchers has identified a potential new way to make radiation more effective and improve outcomes for patients with lung cancer that has spread to the brain.

4 Oct 2024

New technique offers real-time glioblastoma monitoring

A new study shows the potential power of imaging paired with radiation to shape treatment for glioblastoma patients in real time.

1 Oct 2024

Immunotherapy timing key to survival in small cell lung cancer treatment

People with limited-stage small cell lung cancer may benefit from adding immunotherapy to chemoradiation, but not if both treatments are given at the same time, new research finds.

30 Sep 2024

Shortened radiation therapy proves safe for breast reconstruction after mastectomy

An accelerated course of radiation therapy does not increase complications for patients who undergo breast reconstruction following a mastectomy, new research shows.

30 Sep 2024

Standard chemoradiation outperforms de-intensified treatments in HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer

Researchers looking to de-intensify radiation treatments for people with early-stage, HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer to prevent long-term side effects halted a large, randomized phase II/III trial after patients in the control arm reached a record high, two-year progression-free survival rate of 98%.

30 Sep 2024