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.

Adding chemotherapy to radiotherapy does not improve outcomes for cervical cancer patients

Results from the NRG Oncology GOG-0263 phase III clinical trial testing the addition of cisplatin-based chemotherapy to adjuvant radiotherapy following radical hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy for patients with early-stage, intermediate-risk cervical carcinoma indicated that the addition of chemotherapy did not improve outcomes for patients and led to increased toxicity for patients.

14 Mar 2025

New technique effectively identifies aggressive medulloblastoma

Canadian researchers have developed an effective new technique for identifying aggressive medulloblastoma-the most common type of malignant brain tumour in children-and potentially sparing young patients from unnecessary treatments and their harmful long-term side effects.

12 Mar 2025

EZH2 inhibition offers hope for fighting treatment-resistant cancers

The critical role of EZH2, an essential epigenetic regulator, in cancer progression and treatment is underscored in this new review article published in Genes & Diseases.

8 Mar 2025

Novel treatment approach shows promise for advanced HPV-negative head and neck cancer

Researchers from the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center demonstrated the potential of a novel treatment approach including immunotherapy to treat advanced human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

7 Mar 2025

New ASTRO guideline offers radiation therapy recommendations for anal cancer

A new clinical guideline from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) provides guidance on the use of radiation therapy to treat adult patients with primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the anal canal and anal margin.

27 Feb 2025

UCLA scientists discover new approach for treating glioblastoma

UCLA scientists have identified a potential new strategy for treating glioblastoma, the deadliest form of brain cancer, by reprogramming aggressive cancer cells into harmless ones.

26 Feb 2025

Tardigrade protein offers radiation protection for cancer patients

About 60 percent of all cancer patients in the United States receive radiation therapy as part of their treatment.

26 Feb 2025

New antibody-toxin conjugate designed to stimulate immune-mediated eradication of tumors

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have developed a novel antibody-toxin conjugate (ATC) designed to stimulate immune-mediated eradication of tumors.

25 Feb 2025

Study finds key p53 targets for future cancer treatment

A new research paper was published in Oncotarget, Volume 16, on February 18, 2025, titled "Robust p53 phenotypes and prospective downstream targets in telomerase-immortalized human cells."

24 Feb 2025

New clinical trial seeks alternatives for head and neck cancer patients unable to use cisplatin

A physician-scientist at the University of Oklahoma is part of an international effort seeking new options for patients with head and neck cancer who cannot receive the standard chemotherapy drug cisplatin.

21 Feb 2025

CPRIT awards nearly $23 million to MD Anderson for cancer research projects

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center today was awarded nearly $23 million from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) in support of 20 cancer research projects to advance new breakthroughs in discovery, translational, clinical and prevention science.

20 Feb 2025

Senolytic agent ABT-263 mitigates GI cancer risk after radiation exposure

A new research paper was published by Aging (Aging-US) on January 8, 2025, in Volume 17, Issue 1, titled "Senolytic agent ABT-263 mitigates low- and high-LET radiation-induced gastrointestinal cancer development in Apc1638N/+ mice."

18 Feb 2025

Atherosclerosis detection in lung cancer patients through CT scans

Several cardiovascular risk factors, such as advanced age and smoking history, are prevalent among lung cancer patients at the time of the diagnosis and increase their risk of future heart disease, according to a new study being presented at ACC's Advancing the Cardiovascular Care of the Oncology Patient course.

14 Feb 2025

Breakthrough drug improves treatment of medulloblastoma in mice

Brain cancer is the second-leading cause of death in children in the developed world. For the children who survive, standard treatments have long-term impacts on their development and quality of life, particularly in small children and infants.

4 Feb 2025

New microscopy technique offers affordable way to study cancer cell metabolism

Understanding how tumors change their metabolism to resist treatments is a growing focus in cancer research.

3 Feb 2025

High-precision radiation therapy found to be safe for polymetastatic cancer

A new Phase I clinical trial from London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute (LHSCRI) has found high-precision radiation therapy is safe for use in patients with cancer that has spread to more than 10 spots in the body.

3 Feb 2025

Early side effects of radiation may increase long-term risk for prostate cancer patients

Men undergoing radiation therapy for prostate cancer who experience side effects early in treatment may face a higher risk of developing more serious long-term urinary and bowel health issues, according to a new study led by investigators from the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

31 Jan 2025

New approach to treating ependymoma with leukemia drug

Rakesh Jain PhD, Director of the E.L. Steele Laboratories for Tumor Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital and A. Werk Cook Professor of Radiation Oncology at Harvard Medical School, is senior author of a new study in PNAS, Targeting EPHB2/ABL1 Restores Anti-Tumor Immunity in Preclinical Models of Ependymoma.

23 Jan 2025

Scientists discover why cancer cells die differently after radiotherapy

Scientists at Children's Medical Research Institute have solved a big mystery in cancer research – why cells die in different ways following radiotherapy.

13 Jan 2025

Scientists discover new target for treating aggressive brain cancer

A study co-led by UCLA scientists has found targeting a protein called endocan and its related signaling pathway could be a promising new approach for treating glioblastoma, an aggressive and lethal type of brain cancer.

8 Jan 2025