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.

Combining targeted immunotherapy with chemotherapy and radiation therapy to successfully kill metastatic tumour cells

A successful, and novel, technique to kill metastatic breast cancer cells by circumventing their chemo and radioresistant mechanisms was by presented by Dr. John Giannios, Head of Radiotherapeutic Cancer Research at the IASO Hospital

7 Jul 2004

HERCULES laser could revolutionize the way cancer is treated

University of Michigan researchers recently produced what is believed to be the highest-intensity laser pulse ever obtained.

26 Jun 2004

Early patient response to Forteo in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis

Changes in markers of bone remodeling after one month of treatment with FORTEO® (teriparatide [rDNA origin] injection) may provide important early evidence of treatment response, according to new data presented today at the 86th Annual Meeting of The Endocrine Society (ENDO).

17 Jun 2004

Chemical agents extracted from Caribbean sea squirt may help find cancer treatments for certain deadly tumours

European Union funding is helping to find cancer treatments for certain deadly tumours using small marine animals. European researchers are using chemical agents extracted from a type of Caribbean sea squirt, named Ecteinascidia turbinata, to treat some tumours.

11 Jun 2004

Blood test that can detect amplification of a certain gene found in cells associated with breast cancer

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas have developed a blood test that can detect amplification of a certain gene found in circulating cells associated with breast cancer.

10 Jun 2004

Magnetic resonance imaging better than traditional mammography for detecting the presence of breast cancer

Researchers from the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania today presented the first comprehensive study results which show that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is significantly better than traditional mammography for detecting the presence and extent of disease in patients with a diagnosis of breast cancer.

10 Jun 2004

New shaped-beam radiation delivery system provides patients with targeted cancer treatment

The Cleveland Clinic has installed the latest in radiation oncology technology, making it possible to treat a wider range of cancer patients with more precisely targeted radiation treatments that largely spare healthy tissues.

10 Jun 2004

Early hormone therapy for metastatic prostate cancer increases life expectancy

Men with aggressive, metastatic prostate cancer who receive immediate early hormone therapy live on average three to four years longer than others who delay similar treatment, according to researchers at the University of Rochester.

10 Jun 2004

Non-aspirin pain drugs may help men with recurrent prostate cancer

Early results from a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine study may determine if drugs called Cox-2 inhibitors, a newer type of non-aspirin pain medicine now widely prescribed for arthritis symptoms, may benefit men with recurrent prostate cancer.

10 Jun 2004

New blood test may help detect breast cancer

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas have developed a blood test that can detect amplification of a certain gene found in circulating cells associated with breast cancer.

9 Jun 2004

New technology gives neurosurgeons real-time images in the operating room

Within the past decade, imaging systems have provided much clearer pictures of the brain’s structures, and navigational tools have helped physicians map direct approaches, minimize points of entry and spare healthy brain and function.

27 May 2004

Radiation therapy after surgery for men with prostate cancer lessens the chance of the cancer returning

Radiation therapy after surgery for men with prostate cancer lessens the chance of the cancer coming back, regardless of whether the radiation was administered immediately after surgery or after the cancer recurred, according to a new study in the June 2004 issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of ASTRO, the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.

27 May 2004

Men with low prostate specific antigen levels on screening tests can still have prostate cancer

Men with low PSA (prostate specific antigen) levels on screening tests can still have prostate cancer, according to a study* released today by scientists from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

27 May 2004

Combination of two types of radiation therapy is better for treating brain cancer

Adding stereotactic radiosurgery – which entails delivering radiation to specific points in the brain while sparing normal tissue – after whole brain radiation therapy helps certain patients with cancer that has spread to the brain live longer, says a new study by researchers at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.

25 May 2004

Results from a clinical study of CyberKnife ® radiosurgery for locally advanced pancreatic cancer

Accuray Incorporated announced today the publication of the results from a clinical study of CyberKnife ® radiosurgery for locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

25 May 2004

Combination radiation treatment for brain cancer leads to better life

People with cancer that has spread to the brain – about 40 percent of all cancer cases – live longer and enjoy a better quality of life if they are treated with a combination of radiation techniques, according to research conducted, in part, at the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

21 May 2004

Patients with leukemia or lymphoma who undergo hematopoietic-cell transplantation and survive can expect full recovery to take 3-5 years

Patients with leukemia or lymphoma who undergo hematopoietic-cell transplantation (HCT) and survive can expect full recovery to take 3-5 years, according to a study published in the May 19 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

19 May 2004

FDA approves new drug for bone marrow disease

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced the approval of Vidaza (azacitidine) injection, the first effective treatment for patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS). The product was given Fast Track Status and a priority review.

19 May 2004

Computed tomography solution offers more extensive views into the body with greater patient comfort

The Somatom Sensation Open, a recent development by Siemens Medical Solutions, is a computed tomography (CT) system especially designed for use in oncology and interventional CT as well as for ER examinations and bariatric patients.

14 May 2004

Better understanding of radiation therapy in the treatment of breast cancer

To help patients understand the importance of radiation therapy in the treatment of breast cancer, the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology has published the new patient information brochure Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer: A Patient’s Guide to Understanding Treatment.

13 May 2004

Radiation Therapy News and Research

Further Reading

Combining targeted immunotherapy with chemotherapy and radiation therapy to successfully kill metastatic tumour cells

HERCULES laser could revolutionize the way cancer is treated

Early patient response to Forteo in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis

Chemical agents extracted from Caribbean sea squirt may help find cancer treatments for certain deadly tumours

Blood test that can detect amplification of a certain gene found in cells associated with breast cancer

Magnetic resonance imaging better than traditional mammography for detecting the presence of breast cancer

New shaped-beam radiation delivery system provides patients with targeted cancer treatment

Early hormone therapy for metastatic prostate cancer increases life expectancy

Non-aspirin pain drugs may help men with recurrent prostate cancer

New blood test may help detect breast cancer

New technology gives neurosurgeons real-time images in the operating room

Radiation therapy after surgery for men with prostate cancer lessens the chance of the cancer returning

Men with low prostate specific antigen levels on screening tests can still have prostate cancer

Combination of two types of radiation therapy is better for treating brain cancer

Results from a clinical study of CyberKnife ® radiosurgery for locally advanced pancreatic cancer

Combination radiation treatment for brain cancer leads to better life

Patients with leukemia or lymphoma who undergo hematopoietic-cell transplantation and survive can expect full recovery to take 3-5 years

FDA approves new drug for bone marrow disease

Computed tomography solution offers more extensive views into the body with greater patient comfort

Better understanding of radiation therapy in the treatment of breast cancer

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