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.

Banner Good Samaritan treats cancers and neurological disorders with the Novalis Tx radiosurgery platform

John J. Kresl, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center are now treating a wide variety of cancers and neurological disorders with highly-accurate, non-invasive, image-guided radiosurgery using the Novalis Tx(TM) radiosurgery platform from Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) and BrainLAB.

4 Sep 2009

Phase I clinical trial data of GDC-0449 published in the New England Journal Of Medicine

Curis, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRIS), a drug development company focused on developing proprietary targeted medicines for cancer treatment, today announced that two publications describing clinical data generated with GDC-0449 were published in the current edition of The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

3 Sep 2009

Elekta Holdings appoints new CEO

James Hoey has been named CEO of Elekta Holdings with overall responsibility for all of Elekta’s North American legal entities. He will also assume responsibility for Region North America, replacing Joseph Jachinowski who has decided to leave the company for an external position.

From Elekta 3 Sep 2009

Nucletron announces financial results for the first half year of 2009

Nucletron, a global leader in radiation oncology, today announced strong financial results over the first half year of 2009. Despite challenging global economic conditions, Nucletron surpassed projections for the first half year.

3 Sep 2009

IGRT offers improved treatment results for obese prostate cancer patients

Moderately to severely obese prostate cancer patients may have improved treatment outcomes when treated with image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) over traditional external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) because IGRT corrects for prostate shifts, which, if not planned for, can lead to incorrect doses of radiation to the disease site, according to a study in the September 1 issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

3 Sep 2009

The CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System deployed at the CHUM

In operation since recently at the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), the CyberKnife(R) Robotic Radiosurgery System, is revolutionizing the treatment of both cancerous and non-cancerous tumors anywhere in the body. Used in radiation oncology, the CyberKnife System is the latest word in radiosurgery technology. Designed to destroy tumours using radiation beams, it is the first system of its kind to treat tumors non-invasively to be installed in Canada.

2 Sep 2009

St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital uses CyberKnife robotic radiosurgery system for treating tumours

St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital is the first hospital in Houston to feature the CyberKnife((R)), a noninvasive alternative to surgery for the treatment of both cancerous and non-cancerous tumors.

2 Sep 2009

Policymakers need to be educated on the radical difference between radiation therapy and diagnostic testing

Concerned members of the cancer community, including physicians, patient organizations and other care advocates, spoke out today in opposition to a proposed federal policy under consideration by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that would lump life-saving radiation therapy in with diagnostic testing services in receiving major Medicare funding cuts.

2 Sep 2009

NF-kappa B inhibitors protect against toxicity during radiation treatment

Directly inhibiting the activity of a key protein mediator of inflammation reduced radiation toxicity in zebrafish embryos, and may ultimately be of help to patients receiving radiation therapy, according to researchers from the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson.

2 Sep 2009

MammoSite ML radiation therapy system approved for breast cancer treatment

Hologic, Inc. (Hologic or the Company), a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostics, medical imaging systems and surgical products dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women, today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared the Company's 510K application for the MammoSite((R)) ML radiation therapy system.

1 Sep 2009

Usage of the TomoTherapy system to be explored at the 10th Biennial ESTRO Conference

TomoTherapy Incorporated (NASDAQ: TOMO) announced today that there will be more than 40 presentations at the 10th Biennial ESTRO Conference on Physics and Radiation Technology for Clinical Radiotherapy that explore use of the TomoTherapy® treatment system. The TomoTherapy system -- a versatile, CT scanner-based device that integrates image guidance for increased treatment accuracy and helical radiation therapy delivery for enhanced tumor targeting -- is helping cancer centers advance patient care around the world.

29 Aug 2009

Sagent Pharmaceuticals adds fluconazole injection to its line of premixed bags

Sagent Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced that it has launched fluconazole injection in premix bags. IMS Health estimates that 2008 U.S. sales of fluconazole injection approximated $18 million. Sagent will begin marketing and shipping fluconazole bags immediately.

28 Aug 2009

TomoTherapy to discuss the uses of CT scanner-based device at the 10th Biennial ESTRO Conference

TomoTherapy Incorporated announced today that there will be more than 40 presentations at the 10th Biennial ESTRO Conference on Physics and Radiation Technology for Clinical Radiotherapy that explore use of the TomoTherapy treatment system. The TomoTherapy system -- a versatile, CT scanner-based device that integrates image guidance for increased treatment accuracy and helical radiation therapy delivery for enhanced tumor targeting -- is helping cancer centers advance patient care around the world.

28 Aug 2009

Kansas City Cancer Center uses radiation therapy for cancer treatments

Kansas City Cancer Center (KCCC), an affiliate of US Oncology, Inc. which supports the nation's foremost cancer treatment and research network, has treated its first patient with the new TomoTherapy(R) radiation therapy technology at its new KCCC-Shawnee Mission office.

27 Aug 2009

Increased risk of death for men with heart conditions undergoing RT with hormone therapy for prostate cancer

Men with coronary artery disease-induced congestive heart failure or heart attack who receive hormone therapy before or along with radiation therapy for treatment of prostate cancer have an associated increased risk of death, according to a study in the August 26 issue of JAMA.

26 Aug 2009

Northern Illinois Proton Treatment and Research Center appoints Cherilyn Murer as Chair of its board of directors

The Northern Illinois Proton Treatment and Research Center (NIPTRC) announced today that Cherilyn Murer has been named Chair of its board of directors. Murer, who previously served as vice-chair of NIPTRC is also a Northern Illinois University Trustee and concluded a two year term as Chair of the NIU Board of Trustees on June 30, 2009.

21 Aug 2009

Varian Medical Systems to equip a new proton therapy center in Sweden

Varian Medical Systems today announced it has been selected to equip a new proton therapy center in Sweden. In a ceremony conducted by Swedish authorities yesterday following a public tender, Varian was named to supply an estimated $60 million in products for Skandionkliniken, a new national proton therapy center owned by a consortium of seven of Sweden's counties.

20 Aug 2009

Gentium reports results from phase 3 trial of defibrotide for severe veno-occlusive disease

Gentium S.p.A. has announced top-line results from a historically controlled, multicenter, open label, Phase III trial designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of 25 mg/kg/day of Defibrotide for the treatment of severe veno-occlusive disease (sVOD) in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (SCT) patients.

19 Aug 2009

Genentech announces Phase III study results for Avastin (bevacizumab) in combination with chemo in HER2-negative breast cancer

Genentech, Inc. today announced that a Phase III study (RIBBON 2) of Avastin (bevacizumab) in combination with chemotherapy increased the time women with metastatic HER2-negative breast cancer whose initial chemotherapy had stopped working lived without the disease worsening (progression-free survival or PFS), compared to chemotherapy alone.

18 Aug 2009

New immune therapy for kidney cancer tested

Researchers at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) have opened a clinical trial to evaluate whether the standard treatment for a common form of kidney cancer works better by itself or when combined with a certain type of blood cell that comes from a patient’s relative. CINJ is a Center of Excellence of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

14 Aug 2009

Radiation Therapy News and Research

Further Reading

Banner Good Samaritan treats cancers and neurological disorders with the Novalis Tx radiosurgery platform

Phase I clinical trial data of GDC-0449 published in the New England Journal Of Medicine

Elekta Holdings appoints new CEO

Nucletron announces financial results for the first half year of 2009

IGRT offers improved treatment results for obese prostate cancer patients

The CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System deployed at the CHUM

St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital uses CyberKnife robotic radiosurgery system for treating tumours

Policymakers need to be educated on the radical difference between radiation therapy and diagnostic testing

NF-kappa B inhibitors protect against toxicity during radiation treatment

MammoSite ML radiation therapy system approved for breast cancer treatment

Usage of the TomoTherapy system to be explored at the 10th Biennial ESTRO Conference

Sagent Pharmaceuticals adds fluconazole injection to its line of premixed bags

TomoTherapy to discuss the uses of CT scanner-based device at the 10th Biennial ESTRO Conference

Kansas City Cancer Center uses radiation therapy for cancer treatments

Increased risk of death for men with heart conditions undergoing RT with hormone therapy for prostate cancer

Northern Illinois Proton Treatment and Research Center appoints Cherilyn Murer as Chair of its board of directors

Varian Medical Systems to equip a new proton therapy center in Sweden

Gentium reports results from phase 3 trial of defibrotide for severe veno-occlusive disease

Genentech announces Phase III study results for Avastin (bevacizumab) in combination with chemo in HER2-negative breast cancer

New immune therapy for kidney cancer tested

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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