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.

Thoracic radiation therapy can have negative impact on cancer patients' quality of life

Radiation doses to the heart that occur during radiation therapy treatments for lung cancer, breast cancer and lymphoma can increase fatigue, cause difficulty breathing and lower capacity for physical activity in patients with cancer, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's Advancing the Cardiovascular Care of the Oncology Patient course.

14 Feb 2020

Treating soft tissue sarcoma with shorter radiation treatment found to be safe, effective

A new study led by researchers at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center found that treating soft tissue sarcoma with radiation over a significantly shorter period of time is safe, and likely just as effective, as a much longer conventional course of treatment.

13 Feb 2020

Study provides new details about therapy-associated polyposis in childhood cancer survivors

In a paper published online today, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers provide new details about a recently discovered condition in which childhood cancer survivors develop numerous colorectal growths called polyps despite not having a hereditary susceptibility to the condition.

12 Feb 2020

New research could lead to 'breakthrough' for myelodysplastic syndrome

Korean researchers have observed cup-shaped red blood cells in the peripheral blood of a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome.

From Tomocube Inc. 30 Jan 2020

Researchers develop first non-invasive way to monitor oxygen in tumors during radiation therapy

Oxygen in cancer tumors is known to be a major factor that helps radiation therapy be successful. Hypoxia, or starvation of oxygen, in solid tumors is also thought to be an important factor in resistance to therapy.

29 Jan 2020

High carbon dioxide levels due to respiratory diseases may aggravate pancreatic cancer

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD is associated with higher rates of many cancers, including lung, esophagus, colon, bladder and breast cancer.

29 Jan 2020

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in England

In the health agency’s report, there were 49,029 diagnoses made in 2018, which is about 8,000 more than the previous year, surpassing breast cancer with 47,476 cases. Lung cancer followed with 38,996 cases. The new data reveals that there were more cancers detected in 2018 in men than in women, with a total of 15,228 cases and 151,452, respectively.

28 Jan 2020

Study evaluates the impact of prostate cancer treatment decisions

A five-year follow-up study of more than 2,000 U.S. men who received prostate cancer treatment is creating a road map for future patients regarding long-term bowel, bladder and sexual function in order to clarify expectations and enable men to make informed choices about care.

27 Jan 2020

AI can help cancer patients start radiation therapy sooner

Artificial intelligence can help cancer patients start their radiation therapy sooner - and thereby decrease the odds of the cancer spreading - by instantly translating complex clinical data into an optimal plan of attack.

27 Jan 2020

Study looks into the virome of early stage, p16-positive OPSCC and neck metastasis

In this prospective study, a pan-pathogen microarray was used to determine the virome of early stage, p16-positive OPSCC and neck metastasis treated with transoral robotic surgery and neck dissection.

27 Jan 2020

GW expands clinical trial of neoadjuvant immunotherapy for high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma

The Cutaneous Oncology Program at the George Washington University (GW) Cancer Center was selected as the first global site for a clinical trial for patients with high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

22 Jan 2020

Study sheds light on consequences of widespread practice of ringing the cancer bell

It's a scene that some cancer patients dream about: they celebrate the end of a course of radiation or chemotherapy by ringing a bell, surrounded by family and cheering cancer clinic staff. Indeed, many patients say they love the graduation-like ceremony and the sense of closure it gives them.

22 Jan 2020

Why advanced bladder cancer still remains as deadly as it was 30 years ago?

Despite research showing that aggressive treatment with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation can extend the lives of and even cure patients with advanced bladder cancer, many don't get it.

20 Jan 2020

Harmful genetic mutations in healthy donors' stem cells may create problems in AML patients

A stem cell transplant - also called a bone marrow transplant - is a common treatment for blood cancers, such as acute myeloid leukemia.

16 Jan 2020

The circadian clock is key to reducing radiation‐induced cardiotoxicity

Treatment for breast cancer commonly includes radiation therapy, which offers good chances of success but comes with a serious long-term side effect: toxicity due to radiation that reaches the heart, causing DNA damage in healthy heart cells. Over time, this can lead to heart disease and eventually heart failure.

13 Jan 2020

Researchers identify how marijuana accelerates growth of HPV-related head and neck cancer

University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers have identified the molecular mechanism activated by the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - the ingredient that causes people to feel the euphoria or "high" associated with cannabis - in the bloodstream that accelerates cancer growth in patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

13 Jan 2020

Flash Radiotherapy could Deliver all the Radiation Needed in One Rapid Treatment

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have demonstrated that a new approach to delivering radiation could one day mean that cancer patients will be able to receive their entire course of radiotherapy within less than a second as opposed to several weeks.

10 Jan 2020

Family doctors in rural America tackle crisis of addiction and pain

Dr. Angela Gatzke-Plamann didn’t fully grasp her community’s opioid crisis until one desperate patient called on a Friday afternoon in 2016.

10 Jan 2020

21-gene recurrence score can aid in radiation decision-making, shows study

A new study shows that a test physicians commonly used to guide chemotherapy treatment for post-breast cancer surgery patients may also help them decide whether radiation therapy may be of benefit.

10 Jan 2020

Study demonstrates feasibility of giving entire course of radiation in less than a second

Cancer patients may one day be able to get their entire course of radiation therapy in less than a second rather than coming in for treatment over the course of several weeks, and researchers in the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania have taken the first steps toward making it a reality.

9 Jan 2020

Radiation Therapy News and Research

Further Reading

Thoracic radiation therapy can have negative impact on cancer patients' quality of life

Treating soft tissue sarcoma with shorter radiation treatment found to be safe, effective

Study provides new details about therapy-associated polyposis in childhood cancer survivors

New research could lead to 'breakthrough' for myelodysplastic syndrome

Researchers develop first non-invasive way to monitor oxygen in tumors during radiation therapy

High carbon dioxide levels due to respiratory diseases may aggravate pancreatic cancer

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in England

Study evaluates the impact of prostate cancer treatment decisions

AI can help cancer patients start radiation therapy sooner

Study looks into the virome of early stage, p16-positive OPSCC and neck metastasis

GW expands clinical trial of neoadjuvant immunotherapy for high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma

Study sheds light on consequences of widespread practice of ringing the cancer bell

Why advanced bladder cancer still remains as deadly as it was 30 years ago?

Harmful genetic mutations in healthy donors' stem cells may create problems in AML patients

The circadian clock is key to reducing radiation‐induced cardiotoxicity

Researchers identify how marijuana accelerates growth of HPV-related head and neck cancer

Flash Radiotherapy could Deliver all the Radiation Needed in One Rapid Treatment

Family doctors in rural America tackle crisis of addiction and pain

21-gene recurrence score can aid in radiation decision-making, shows study

Study demonstrates feasibility of giving entire course of radiation in less than a second

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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