Brachytherapy News and Research

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Brachytherapy is a minimally invasive procedure that involves the use of radioactive seeds the size of rice grains. Brachytherapy, an out-patient procedure, usually takes 45 minutes to an hour to perform. Most patients can return to their normal activities within days. The success rates of prostate brachytherapy have compared favorably with success rates of radical prostatectomy and external beam radiation. In comparison studies, prostate brachytherapy has shown to have a favorable side effect profile when compared with other modalities. Clinical studies have shown that prostate brachytherapy has a cure rate of 94% for appropriately selected patients.

Elekta’s high field MRI-guided linear accelerator installed at MD Anderson Cancer Center

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Elekta and Philips teams recently completed installation of the first high field (1.5 Tesla) MRI-guided linear accelerator in the United States.

From Elekta 13 Oct 2015

Varian Medical Systems' ProBeam proton therapy system receives CE Mark approval

Varian Medical Systems has received CE Mark for its latest ProBeam proton therapy system. The CE Mark allows Varian to begin installation of the newest version of its ProBeam system in the European Union.

12 Oct 2015

UWE Bristol signs up for latest version of simulated Eclipse Radiotherapy Treatment Planning System

The University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) is the first Higher Education Institution (HEI) in the UK to sign up for the very latest version of a powerful simulated Radiotherapy Treatment Planning System (RTPS), which has been futureproofed.

14 Aug 2015

Three European medical centers planning upgrades to Elekta's stereotactic radiosurgery system for the brain

Three foremost medical centers in the United Kingdom and Germany have ordered and are now planning upgrades to Elekta's latest generation stereotactic radiosurgery system for the brain, Leksell Gamma Knife Icon, to provide the most advanced brain radiosurgery treatments for their patients.

From Elekta 13 Jul 2015

KF-SYSCC creates paperless, filmless clinical process in radiation oncology to enhance patient safety

The Koo Foundation Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center has established an entirely paperless and filmless clinical process in radiation oncology, designed to enhance patient safety as well as operational efficiency. Using the ARIA oncology information system from Varian Medical Systems, the clinical team has automated essential tasks, built in safety-checks, and centralized patient information for easier access by staff members.

13 Jul 2015

Indian hospital treats 10,000th patient using RapidArc radiotherapy technology

A three-year-old baby girl with a brain tumor has become the 10,000th patient at Yashoda Hospital in Hyderabad, India to be treated using RapidArc radiotherapy technology from Varian Medical Systems.

30 Jun 2015

Partial breast radiation after lumpectomy does not increase cancer recurrence

A new study by UCLA scientists has found that women diagnosed with breast cancer and treated with a one-week regimen of partial breast radiation after the surgical removal of the tumor, or lumpectomy, saw no increase in cancer recurrence or difference in cosmetic outcomes compared to women who received radiation of the entire breast for a period of up to six weeks after surgery.

26 Jun 2015

Elekta's Esteya electronic brachytherapy improves outcomes in patients with basal cell carcinoma

Physicians at La Fe University and Polytechnic Hospital - Valencia presented their early clinical outcome data on the use of Esteya electronic brachytherapy for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma in a paper in the current issue of Journal of Contemporary Brachytherapy. The ongoing study showed 100 percent complete response and excellent cosmetic outcome in all lesions treated to date with Esteya.

From Elekta 17 Jun 2015

Elekta inks contract with Samsung Medical Center to provide the first Leksell Gamma Knife Icon to Asia

Elekta has signed a contract with one of Korea's most advanced hospitals, Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, to deliver the first Leksell Gamma Knife Icon to Asia.

From Elekta 10 Jun 2015

Elekta's Leksell Gamma Knife Icon precision radiosurgery system CE marked

Elekta has CE marked its Leksell Gamma Knife Icon precision radiosurgery system, making this latest generation Leksell Gamma Knife platform available in the European market.

From Elekta 10 Jun 2015

Varian selected to equip, service HollandPTC in Delft with ProBeam proton therapy system

Varian Medical Systems today announced that it has been selected to equip and service the new multi-room HollandPTC in Delft with the Varian ProBeam proton therapy system. The company will book the equipment part of the order in its fiscal 2015 third quarter.

3 Jun 2015

Varian, Flatiron Health partner to develop next generation of cloud-based software for cancer care providers

Varian Medical Systems and Flatiron Health today announced a strategic alliance to develop the next generation of cloud-based, electronic health record (EHR), data analytics and decision support software for cancer care providers around the world.

26 May 2015

Elekta striving to build radiation therapy infrastructures and save lives of cancer patients in Africa

In Africa, cancer kills more people than HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. Approximately 40 percent of cancer cases can be prevented and 40 percent can be cured with the right treatment. Together with Elekta, ministries of health in almost a dozen African nations are working to build up their radiation therapy infrastructures and save lives.

From Elekta 6 May 2015

First patient receives new 'resistance-busting' experimental skin cancer drug

A patient has become the first to receive a new 'resistance-busting' experimental skin cancer drug with the launch of a phase I clinical trial. The patient has received a new panRAF inhibitor - a new type of drug under development to address the problem of drug resistance in advanced skin cancer and a number of other cancer types.

6 May 2015

Men who receive brachytherapy more likely to be cancer-free five years later

Results from a randomised controlled trial to compare the use of permanent radioactive implants (brachytherapy) with dose-escalated external beam radiotherapy in patients with prostate cancer show that the men who received brachytherapy were twice as likely to be cancer-free five years later.

27 Apr 2015

Brachytherapy improves overall survival for women with inoperable early stage endometrial cancer

Women who have early stage endometrial cancer and are inoperable tend to live longer if they have been treated with brachytherapy with or without external beam radiation, according to new research to be presented at the 3rd ESTRO Forum in Barcelona, Spain, on Sunday.

27 Apr 2015

Elekta introduces new Leksell Gamma Knife Icon to treat patients with brain disease

With the introduction of Elekta's new Leksell Gamma Knife Icon, the benefits of precision cranial radiosurgery are now available for more patients with a wider variety of tumor types and sizes.

From Elekta 25 Apr 2015

iCAD announces adoption of Xoft Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy System in Spain

iCAD, Inc., an industry-leading provider of advanced image analysis, workflow solutions and radiation therapy for the early identification and treatment of cancer, today announced the first Xoft Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy (eBx) System in Spain is now available at the Hospital Miguel Servet for the treatment of early-stage breast cancer, non-melanoma skin cancer and gynecological cancers.

25 Apr 2015

Dan Theodorescu awarded Barringer Medal for distinguished contributions to urology

Dan Theodorescu, MD, PhD, director of the NCI-designated University of Colorado Cancer Center and professor of Urology and Pharmacology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine was awarded the Barringer Medal this past Saturday from the American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons for his distinguished contributions to urology.