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.

Breast-reconstruction procedure can preserve mammary artery for future cardiac surgery

Doctors at Johns Hopkins have shown that during an increasingly popular type of breast-reconstruction surgery, they can safely preserve the internal mammary artery, in case it is needed for future cardiac surgery.

13 Oct 2011

MD Anderson initiates orders of Cesium-131 to help control intermediate risk prostate cancer

IsoRay Inc., a medical technology company and innovator in seed brachytherapy and medical radioisotope applications, announced today that MD Anderson Cancer Center has initiated orders of Cesium-131 brachytherapy (internal radiation therapy) seeds as it continues its clinical research study investigating brachytherapy's ability to help control intermediate risk prostate cancer.

11 Oct 2011

Clinical study: Higher radiation dose does not improve overall survival for NSCLC

A higher dose of radiation (74 Gy) does not improve overall survival for non-small cell lung cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes, compared to the standard radiation dose (60 Gy), according to an interim analysis of a late-breaking randomized study presented at the plenary session, October 3, 2011, at the 53rdAnnual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

4 Oct 2011

More than three-quarters of cancer patients have vitamin D deficiency

More than three-quarters of cancer patients have insufficient levels of vitamin D (25-hydroxy-vitamin D) and the lowest levels are associated with more advanced cancer, according to a study presented on October 2, 2011, at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

4 Oct 2011

Cancer patients prefer to use Web-based technology for quality of life survey

When cancer patients are given the choice, they are significantly more likely to use Web-based technology to answer questions about their quality of life six months after treatment, compared to a paper survey, according to a unique study presented at a scientific session, October 5, 2011, at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

4 Oct 2011

Baptist Hospital selects RayStation treatment planning system

RaySearch Laboratories AB has received an order for its RayStation treatment planning system from Baptist Hospital of Miami.

3 Oct 2011

Elekta sells Anatomic Pathology Information System business to Sunquest

Elekta AB today announced it has divested its Anatomic Pathology Information System business, marketed under the brand name PowerPath, a software line that manages workflow for laboratories offering surgical pathology, cytology, dermatopathology and autopsy services.

From Elekta 3 Oct 2011

Study compares treatment plans for CyberKnife treatment delivery system

Radiosurgery is a non-invasive medical procedure in which focused beams of high-energy X-rays target tumors and other abnormalities in the body. A single large dose of radiation is capable of ablating a lesion that might not be amenable to surgical removal. However, some radiosurgery systems, such as the CyberKnife (CK), can be relatively time-consuming because the treatment planning requires the delivery of up to several hundred cone-shaped beams to adequately cover an irregularly shaped tumor.

3 Oct 2011

FDA clears Nucletron's new VCMC Applicator for gynecologic cancers

During the first day of the annual conference for the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) in Miami, Nucletron, an Elekta company, today announced that it has received FDA 510(k) clearance for its new Vaginal CT/MR Multi Channel (VCMC) Applicator, offering a brachytherapy solution that enables very precise dose delivery for gynecologic cancers.

From Elekta 3 Oct 2011

First clinical implementation of RayStation at MGH

RaySearch Laboratories AB announces that the first cancer patient has been treated using a treatment plan created with RaySearch's treatment planning system RayStation. The treatment was carried out at the Massachusetts General Hospital Radiation Oncology Department.

From Elekta 3 Oct 2011

Prostate cancer patients treated with CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System enrolled in RPCR

The CyberKnife Coalition announced today that more than 500 men treated with the CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System have now been enrolled in the first national patient registry designed specifically to track prostate cancer patients treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy.

1 Oct 2011

Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson celebrates two decades of caring and collaboration to beat cancer

From October forward, the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson (KCC), a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, is celebrating 20 years of service to the community and the groundbreaking cancer research from the scientists and physicians who've provided an invaluable contribution to medical science and healthcare.

30 Sep 2011

ASTRO to honor Allegheny RN with 2011 Nurse Excellence Award

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has selected Linda Meyer, RN, MSN, OCN, of West Penn Allegheny Health System in Pittsburgh, as the recipient of the 2011 ASTRO Nurse Excellence Award.

28 Sep 2011

Men with localized prostate cancer benefit from intensity modulated radiation therapy

Men with localized prostate cancer treated with a newer technology, intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), have more than a quarter (26 percent) fewer late bowel and rectal side effects and a statistically improved lower dose of radiation to the bladder and rectum, compared to those who undergo 3D-CRT, according to a randomized study presented at the plenary session October 3, 2011, at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

27 Sep 2011

World's first treatment of metastasized brain cancer uses IsoRay's Cesium-131 brachytherapy seeds

IsoRay, a medical technology company and innovator in seed brachytherapy and medical radioisotope applications, announced today that doctors at New York Presbyterian Hospital/ Weill Cornell Medical Center have performed the world's first treatment of metastasized brain cancer using IsoRay's Cesium-131 brachytherapy seeds.

26 Sep 2011

Converting genetic data into biomedical knowledge a true challenge for statisticians

Within a decade, a combination of advanced measurement techniques and statistics will enable scientists to develop methods to diagnose serious diseases caused by genetic defects. Ten years after that, there may be medicines available to repair these defects.

21 Sep 2011

Elekta acquires Nucletron

Elekta AB today announced it has successfully completed its acquisition of Nucletron, the world leader in brachytherapy treatment planning and delivery. Through the combination Elekta will offer a complete range of radiotherapy planning and delivery technologies.

From Elekta 15 Sep 2011

Differences in lifestyle, tumor genetics linked to head and neck cancer in African Americans

Why are African Americans more likely than Caucasians to be not only diagnosed with head and neck cancer, but also die from the disease? While the answer isn't a simple one, differences in lifestyle, access to care and tumor genetics may, in part, be to blame, according to a new study from Henry Ford Hospital.

15 Sep 2011

Positive data from Aeterna Zentaris' AEZS-108 Phase 2 study on advanced endometrial cancer

Aeterna Zentaris Inc. earlier today, presented positive final Phase 2 efficacy and safety data for its targeted cytotoxic luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) analog, AEZS-108, in advanced endometrial cancer.

14 Sep 2011

Nanobiotix starts clinical trial of new cancer treatment for soft tissue sarcoma

Nanobiotix, a company developing novel cancer nanotherapeutics, announced today that its lead compound NBTXR3 has received the formal authorization from the French Medicine Agency, AFSSAPS, to start the first clinical trial.

14 Sep 2011

Radiation Therapy News and Research

Further Reading

Breast-reconstruction procedure can preserve mammary artery for future cardiac surgery

MD Anderson initiates orders of Cesium-131 to help control intermediate risk prostate cancer

Clinical study: Higher radiation dose does not improve overall survival for NSCLC

More than three-quarters of cancer patients have vitamin D deficiency

Cancer patients prefer to use Web-based technology for quality of life survey

Baptist Hospital selects RayStation treatment planning system

Elekta sells Anatomic Pathology Information System business to Sunquest

Study compares treatment plans for CyberKnife treatment delivery system

FDA clears Nucletron's new VCMC Applicator for gynecologic cancers

First clinical implementation of RayStation at MGH

Prostate cancer patients treated with CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System enrolled in RPCR

Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson celebrates two decades of caring and collaboration to beat cancer

ASTRO to honor Allegheny RN with 2011 Nurse Excellence Award

Men with localized prostate cancer benefit from intensity modulated radiation therapy

World's first treatment of metastasized brain cancer uses IsoRay's Cesium-131 brachytherapy seeds

Converting genetic data into biomedical knowledge a true challenge for statisticians

Elekta acquires Nucletron

Differences in lifestyle, tumor genetics linked to head and neck cancer in African Americans

Positive data from Aeterna Zentaris' AEZS-108 Phase 2 study on advanced endometrial cancer

Nanobiotix starts clinical trial of new cancer treatment for soft tissue sarcoma

How can microdialysis benefit drug development

Global and Local Efforts to Take Action Against Hepatitis

Addressing Important Cardiac Biology Questions with Shotgun Top-Down Proteomics

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