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.

Newer treatments, closer monitoring of childhood cancer may improve longevity

Although more children today are surviving cancer than ever before, young patients successfully treated in the 1970s and 80s may live a decade less, on average, than the general population, according to a study from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Harvard School of Public Health.

7 Apr 2010

Par Pharmaceutical, sanofi-aventis resolve patent litigation case

Par Pharmaceutical Companies, Inc. today announced that it (and its subsidiary Par Pharmaceutical and development partner MN Pharmaceuticals of Turkey) has entered into a settlement agreement with sanofi-aventis that resolves patent litigation related to its generic version of sanofi's and Debiopharm's Eloxatin® (oxaliplatin injection) product, a drug used to treat colorectal cancer, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

6 Apr 2010

Identification and elimination of cancer stem cells

A new field of cancer research could explain why some cancers that appear to have been cured can rear their ugly head or spread to other organs.

3 Apr 2010

Cancer research at Georgia Tech: Report

Cancer treatment typically involves surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy or biological therapy. An oncologist may use one therapy or a combination of methods, depending on the type and location of the cancer, whether the disease has spread, the patient's age and general health, and other factors.

3 Apr 2010

SBRT effective in primary tumor control, study finds

Many of the world's leading radiation oncologists are employing the unique capabilities of SBRT to treat a variety of cancers that often have defied conventional radiation therapy techniques. A multitude of studies evaluating SBRT are ongoing and investigators are publishing articles that demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique. Two studies led by renowned radiation oncologists were conducted at centers that use Elekta SBRT technology, and their results were published recently.

From Elekta 2 Apr 2010

International, four-year study finds dutasteride reduces risk of prostate cancer diagnosis in men

A drug already prescribed to shrink benign, enlarged prostates has been shown to reduce the risk of a prostate cancer diagnosis by 23 percent in men with an increased risk of the disease, a large international trial has found. Results are reported April 1 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2 Apr 2010

Implementation of wait time guarantees: Unfulfilled promises

The Wait Time Alliance (WTA) today expressed disappointment that some jurisdictions have still not fulfilled their 2007 promise to implement wait time guarantees, and other jurisdictions have implemented guarantees that are inconsistent and weak.

1 Apr 2010

MITA supports FDA's interest to reduce exposure to medical radiation, minimize medical errors

The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance, the leading association representing the manufacturers, innovators and developers of medical imaging and radiation therapy systems, today said it is supportive of the Food and Drug Administration's ongoing interest to further reduce exposure to unnecessary medical radiation and minimize medical errors.

31 Mar 2010

Breast cancer patients undertreated, essential radiation after mastectomy not performed

While radiation therapy is common after breast conserving surgery, it's much less frequent after mastectomy, even among women for whom it would have clear life-saving benefit. This is according to a new study from researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

30 Mar 2010

'Because Life is for Living' campaign launched to raise awareness about brachytherapy

Former England Rugby World Cup winner Matt Dawson today launched the 'Because Life is for Living' campaign to raise awareness about brachytherapy, a very precise and highly effective form of radiotherapy to treat cancer.

30 Mar 2010

Six weeks of radiotherapy to be consolidated into 30 minutes for breast cancer patients

Nearly 45 thousand women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Two third of these women need a combination of surgery and radiotherapy. Radiotherapy can kill cancer cells that may have been missed during operation. These remnant cells are responsible for 90% relapses.

29 Mar 2010

Sutter Solano Cancer Center earns three-year accreditation from ACOS

Sutter Solano Cancer Center has earned a three-year accreditation with six commendations from the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. ACOS approval is awarded to centers that have voluntarily committed to providing the highest level of quality cancer care and undergo regular evaluations and reviews of their performance.

27 Mar 2010

Gentium presents abstract on Defibrotide at EBMT Annual Meeting

Gentium S.p.A.today announced that the abstract titled, "Defibrotide prevents hepatic VOD and reduces significantly VOD-associated complications in children at high risk: final results of a prospective phase II/III multicenter study," was presented on Sunday, March 21, 2010, at the opening session of the European Blood and Marrow Transplantation 36th Annual Meeting in Vienna. The abstract received the esteemed Van Bekkum Award for the best abstract submitted to the physician's program. Dr. Selim Corbacioglu, Professor of Pediatrics, University of Regensburg (Germany) and Principal Investigator of the Pediatric Prevention trial, accepted the award and presented the final results of the study.

24 Mar 2010

Alliance Imaging to offer mobile PEM imaging services in the state of Florida

Naviscan announced today that Alliance Imaging, a division of Alliance Healthcare Services, will be offering mobile Positron Emission Mammography imaging services in the state of Florida. Alliance Imaging will be providing turnkey service which includes transporting the PEM scanner from site to site, a technologist to perform the scan and the necessary radiopharmaceutical, 18F-FDG.

22 Mar 2010

BSD Medical files 510(k) submission for premarket clearance of Phase II MTX-180

BSD Medical Corporation today announced that the Company has filed a 510(k) submission with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for premarket clearance of the Company's Phase II MicroThermX® Microwave Ablation System for ablation of soft tissue.

22 Mar 2010

Breast cancer survivors at increased risk of developing second cancer: Study

Certain rare mutations in the ataxia telangiectasia mutated gene, combined with radiation exposure, may increase a woman's risk of developing a second cancer in the opposite breast, according to a study published online March 19 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

20 Mar 2010

QUANTEC review: Updated recommendations for safe irradiation of 16 organs

The Quantitative Analysis of Normal Tissue Effects in the Clinic (QUANTEC) review has been published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) to update recommendations for the safe irradiation of 16 organs. For each organ, the relationship between dose/volume and clinical outcome is reviewed. These reviews replace initial recommendations published in 1991.

19 Mar 2010

MR-guided ablation therapy may hold promise for treatment of prostate cancer recurrences

The first known patient cases using magnetic resonance-guided heat (laser interstitial thermal therapy) or cold (cryoablation) to treat prostate cancer recurrence after surgical removal of the prostate gland were presented by physicians at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 35th Annual Scientific Meeting in Tampa. Many of these patients have also failed salvage radiation treatment and are often presented with limited therapeutic options. MR-guided focal therapy offers a new treatment choice for patients because of the improved detection of early prostate cancer recurrences best seen with MR imaging.

18 Mar 2010

Varian Medical Systems to showcase radiotherapy and radiosurgery solutions at medical events in Asia

Varian Medical Systems, Inc., the world's leading manufacturer of medical technology for treating cancer with radiotherapy and radiosurgery, will showcase its technology at two medical events in Asia during the month of March:

18 Mar 2010

Standardized skin-care guidelines

Given the complexity of cancer treatment, skin care may seem like a small matter. However, a nurse at the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center knew that skin issues were a constant source of anxiety for many patients receiving radiation therapy, and through research she discovered that routine advice was rooted in myth instead of scientific evidence.

18 Mar 2010