Radiation Therapy News and Research

RSS

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.

NCI gives 'exceptional' rating to Penn's Abramson Cancer Center

The National Cancer Institute has once again rated the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania as "exceptional," the highest possible rating for an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center.

4 Aug 2020

Avoiding care during the pandemic could mean life or death

These days, Los Angeles acting teacher Deryn Warren balances her pain with her fear. She's a bladder cancer patient who broke her wrist in November. She still needs physical therapy for her wrist, and she's months late for a cancer follow-up.

31 Jul 2020

Study suggests new approach to make radiation therapy more effective for glioblastoma patients

Many modern cancer drugs target a specific genetic mutation that is driving a particular cancer's runaway growth and division -- such as the HER-2 protein in some breast cancers or EGFR in certain lung cancers.

30 Jul 2020

Two young scientists receive Damon Runyon-Sohn Pediatric Cancer Fellowship Award

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation has named two outstanding young scientists as recipients of the Damon Runyon-Sohn Pediatric Cancer Fellowship Award, committing nearly $500,000 to help address a critical shortage of funding for pediatric cancer research.

30 Jul 2020

New approach tracks tumors in real time, could improve outcomes for cancer patients

A team of University of Alberta researchers has developed a faster way of tracking the movement of tumours in the body during radiation therapy, which could significantly improve outcomes for cancer patients.

23 Jul 2020

New test uses a single drop of blood to rapidly detect radiation sickness

A new proof-of-concept study reports evidence that a new testing method has the potential to rapidly identify radiation sickness based on biomarkers measured through a single drop of blood.

15 Jul 2020

Surgical delay linked to increased risk in gastrointestinal malignancies, study finds

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, widespread cancellations of electively-scheduled or "non-emergency" operations were implemented to free up hospital beds and conserve protective equipment for health care workers.

7 Jul 2020

DNA resection pathways are highly specific, shows study

Our cells are constantly dividing, and as they do, the DNA molecule - our genetic code - sometimes gets broken. DNA has twin strands, and a break in both is considered especially dangerous.

7 Jul 2020

Women with breast cancer diagnosed at earlier stage in states with expanded Medicaid coverage

In a new study by Yale Cancer Center, researchers have demonstrated that in states with expanded Medicaid coverage through the Affordable Care Act a higher percentage of women with breast cancer had their disease diagnosed at an early stage.

1 Jul 2020

Study links unexpected hospital stays to negative outcomes in head and neck cancer patients

Patients who were unexpectedly hospitalized for dehydration, fever or other ailments while undergoing radiation treatment for head and neck cancers were at a higher risk for less favorable outcomes, a new study from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center reports.

30 Jun 2020

NCI supports NRG Oncology Biospecimen Bank

The NRG Oncology Biospecimen Bank (NRG-BB) will be awarded six more years of funding from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to provide biospecimen banking support for the NCI National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) group NRG Oncology.

30 Jun 2020

Black patients with esophageal cancer less likely to receive surgery for early-stage disease

Black patients with esophageal cancer are at a higher risk of death compared to white patients. Although many reasons have been suggested for this, few have given physician actionable information.

25 Jun 2020

Developing betatron based medical complexes to reduce the chance of cancer recurrence

Tomsk Polytechnic University, JSC Academician M.F. Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems and the Polyus Research and Development Center will create the betatron based medical complexes, reducing the chance of cancer recurrence.

19 Jun 2020

Not having surgery lowers risk of stroke, death in patients with brain AVMs

For patients with brain arteriovenous malformations, not having surgery or getting radiation therapy can result in an almost 70-per-cent lower risk of having a stroke or dying, researchers find.

18 Jun 2020

Interventional treatment for brain AVMs could be more dangerous than the disease itself

For people with a brain arteriovenous malformation, a congenital vascular system defect, fate has a name: stroke.

17 Jun 2020

USC researchers unlock fatal vulnerability in many cancer cells

Like any cells in the body, cancer cells need sugar - namely glucose - to fuel cell proliferation and growth.

17 Jun 2020

Two clinical trials use low-dose X-rays to treat COVID-19 pneumonia

Previous studies have shown that low-dose, whole lung radiation in the form of X-rays can effectively treat severe pneumonia, with minimal side effects.

17 Jun 2020

Combination of antibodies and internal radiation can help fight cervical cancer

The sugar coating on cancer cells helps them thrive, and a new study indicates patients with cervical cancer who make antibodies to those sugars appear to do better when they also receive internal radiation therapy.

16 Jun 2020

New treatment may improve the quality of life for patients with mesothelioma

A novel treatment for advanced mesothelioma is safe and effective and may improve the quality of life for patients who have few treatment options, according to a research abstract presented during a virtual session of the Society of Interventional Radiology's 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting on June 14.

15 Jun 2020

Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation awards $3.2 million to early-career physician-scientists

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation has named four new Damon Runyon Clinical Investigators.

12 Jun 2020

Radiation Therapy News and Research

Further Reading

NCI gives 'exceptional' rating to Penn's Abramson Cancer Center

Avoiding care during the pandemic could mean life or death

Study suggests new approach to make radiation therapy more effective for glioblastoma patients

Two young scientists receive Damon Runyon-Sohn Pediatric Cancer Fellowship Award

New approach tracks tumors in real time, could improve outcomes for cancer patients

New test uses a single drop of blood to rapidly detect radiation sickness

Surgical delay linked to increased risk in gastrointestinal malignancies, study finds

DNA resection pathways are highly specific, shows study

Women with breast cancer diagnosed at earlier stage in states with expanded Medicaid coverage

Study links unexpected hospital stays to negative outcomes in head and neck cancer patients

NCI supports NRG Oncology Biospecimen Bank

Black patients with esophageal cancer less likely to receive surgery for early-stage disease

Developing betatron based medical complexes to reduce the chance of cancer recurrence

Not having surgery lowers risk of stroke, death in patients with brain AVMs

Interventional treatment for brain AVMs could be more dangerous than the disease itself

USC researchers unlock fatal vulnerability in many cancer cells

Two clinical trials use low-dose X-rays to treat COVID-19 pneumonia

Combination of antibodies and internal radiation can help fight cervical cancer

New treatment may improve the quality of life for patients with mesothelioma

Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation awards $3.2 million to early-career physician-scientists

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

Latest News