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.

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

Step counters could play role in predicting lung cancer treatment outcomes

Numerous studies have shown that monitoring physical activity promotes better health – from reducing body mass index to watching for signs of hypertension, for example. A new study suggests step counters could play yet another role: predicting outcomes for people undergoing chemoradiation therapy for lung cancer.

8 Jan 2020

Researchers capture light emission from the eye of a patient undergoing radiotherapy

For decades, theories have existed to explain patient reports of seeing light flashes during radiation therapy, even with their eyes closed.

7 Jan 2020

Researchers study new immunogenic properties of already existing anti-cancer drugs

The world scientific community is waging a difficult and prolonged war on cancer. New research in the field of immunogenic cell death can extend the area of drugs application and ensure patients' protection from relapse after therapy.

3 Jan 2020

Mount Sinai awarded more than $10 million in federal funding for research on glioblastoma

The Department of Neurosurgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has received more than $10 million in federal funding for several projects focusing on brain tumor research.

2 Jan 2020

Proton therapy has similar cure rates, fewer serious side effects compared with traditional radiation

Cancer patients who receive high-tech proton therapy experience similar cure rates and fewer serious side effects compared with those who undergo traditional X-ray radiation therapy, according to a study led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

28 Dec 2019

Proton therapy reduces the relative risk of side effects for cancer patients

Proton therapy leads to significantly lower risk of side effects severe enough to lead to unplanned hospitalizations for cancer patients when compared with traditional radiation, while cure rates between the two groups are almost identical.

26 Dec 2019

Obesity linked to increased risk of cardiotoxicity in chemotherapy-treated patients with breast cancer

Anthracyclines remain a cornerstone of breast cancer therapy in combination with new-generation targeted drugs such as trastuzumab. Both types of drugs are major culprits in chemotherapy-induced heart disease.

23 Dec 2019

Immunosupressant combination therapy for glioblastoma shows promise

Researchers from the University of Texas have found an immunosuppressing target for the treatment of glioblastoma. In mice studies the team has identified CD73 macrophages which could be used to treat the cancers. The team also performed studies on human tumours to arrive at their conclusions. The study was published in the latest issue of the journal Nature Medicine this week.

23 Dec 2019

National veteran dataset will help dissect the relationship between mental illness and prostate cancer

There appears to be an unhealthy synergy between mental illness and prostate cancer, and researchers are working to dissect the relationship by first assembling the largest dataset ever of veterans with either condition or both.

23 Dec 2019

Radiation-induced brain damage: new study reveals the mechanism

Following radiation therapy to the head for brain tumors, more than 80% of patients who live six months at least after the treatment report a loss of some cognitive functions such as memory, thinking and related tasks. Now a new study published in the journal Scientific Reports shows why this happens, which in turn could pave the way to correct this damage and protect the brain in future patients.

17 Dec 2019

Study: Chemoradiation regimen for Stage III NSCLC is better than two tested alternatives

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States and approximately 75-80% of all cases are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

17 Dec 2019

Immunotherapy: A promising new alternative to cancer therapies

Sophie Lucas, a researcher at the University of Louvain (UCLouvain) de Duve Institute, studies the immune responses that cancer patients can develop against their own tumor.

16 Dec 2019

New method of feeding tube insertion may offer improved patient safety, cost savings

A team of clinician researchers from Lawson Health Research Institute have partnered with medical device company CoapTech LLC to study a new method of feeding tube insertion.

16 Dec 2019

Detection of mouth, throat cancer through saliva testing could become reality

Cancer of the throat and mouth (oropharyngeal cancers, OPC) are common, and are increasing in incidence especially among younger people. However, these are difficult to diagnose as they are not seen either by the patient or during routine medical examinations.

15 Dec 2019

Breast-conserving treatment without surgery cannot be recommended at this time

Results from NRG Oncology's BR005 study show that breast-conserving treatment without surgery cannot be recommended, based on the study criteria of clinical complete response, radiological complete response (rCR)/near rCR, and negative tumor bed biopsies.

14 Dec 2019

New technique may lead to earlier and easier detection of mouth and throat cancer

Unfortunately, cancers that occur in the back of the mouth and upper throat are often not diagnosed until they become advanced, partly because their location makes them difficult to see during routine clinical exams.

13 Dec 2019

10-year results from clinical trial of extended letrozole therapy for women with HR+ breast cancer

In the updated results from NRG Oncology/NSABP B-42 trial through 10 years of observation, extending letrozole therapy for additional five years after five years of adjuvant endocrine therapy resulted in a statistically significant improvement in the 10-year disease-free survival (DFS) of postmenopausal women with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer.

12 Dec 2019

Radiation therapy alone found to be cost-effective for treatment of DCIS

Ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS) accounts for one-fifth of breast cancer cases in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society.

11 Dec 2019

Common antibiotic appears to boost the effect of radiation on tumor cells

The antibiotic vancomycin alters the gut microbiome in a way that can help prime the immune system to more effectively attack tumor cells after radiation therapy.

9 Dec 2019

Radiation Therapy News and Research

Further Reading

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

Step counters could play role in predicting lung cancer treatment outcomes

Researchers capture light emission from the eye of a patient undergoing radiotherapy

Researchers study new immunogenic properties of already existing anti-cancer drugs

Mount Sinai awarded more than $10 million in federal funding for research on glioblastoma

Proton therapy has similar cure rates, fewer serious side effects compared with traditional radiation

Proton therapy reduces the relative risk of side effects for cancer patients

Obesity linked to increased risk of cardiotoxicity in chemotherapy-treated patients with breast cancer

Immunosupressant combination therapy for glioblastoma shows promise

National veteran dataset will help dissect the relationship between mental illness and prostate cancer

Radiation-induced brain damage: new study reveals the mechanism

Study: Chemoradiation regimen for Stage III NSCLC is better than two tested alternatives

Immunotherapy: A promising new alternative to cancer therapies

New method of feeding tube insertion may offer improved patient safety, cost savings

Detection of mouth, throat cancer through saliva testing could become reality

Breast-conserving treatment without surgery cannot be recommended at this time

New technique may lead to earlier and easier detection of mouth and throat cancer

10-year results from clinical trial of extended letrozole therapy for women with HR+ breast cancer

Radiation therapy alone found to be cost-effective for treatment of DCIS

Common antibiotic appears to boost the effect of radiation on tumor cells

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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