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.

Two immunotherapy approaches for multiple myeloma show hope

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania's Abramson Cancer Center have developed two experimental immunotherapy methods that include one chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy for the treatment of multiple myeloma patients who were not responding to other treatments.

11 Dec 2017

Shorter course of radiation may be preferred treatment for men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among males in the United States. Approximately, 180,000 men are diagnosed each year, and approximately 95 percent of these men have localized disease that is potentially curable.

5 Dec 2017

New treatment aims to target abnormally shaped protein in deadly childhood brain cancer

Children with an extremely deadly form of brain cancer might benefit from a new treatment that aims to direct an immune response against an abnormally shaped protein found exclusively on cancer cells, according to a new study led by UC San Francisco researchers.

4 Dec 2017

'Aggressive' surgery for early stage lung cancer provides better outcomes

Patients with early stage lung cancer live longer when they receive a lobectomy- the most common type of operation for the disease- rather than a less extensive operation or radiation treatment, according to a study published online today in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

30 Nov 2017

Study uncovers key mechanism by which tumors develop resistance to radiation therapy

A Ludwig Cancer Research study has uncovered a key mechanism by which tumors develop resistance to radiation therapy and shown how such resistance might be overcome with drugs that are currently under development.

23 Nov 2017

UVA scientists working to find end-around method to stop triple-negative breast cancer

So-called "triple-negative" breast cancer is a particularly aggressive and difficult-to-treat form. It accounts for only about 10 percent of breast cancer cases, but is responsible for about 25 percent of breast cancer fatalities.

20 Nov 2017

UNT professor develops alternative to anesthesia for pediatric cancer patients undergoing radiation

While radiation therapy is the most common cancer treatment for children under age 10, preparation for it may cause great stress for a child and his or her family.

16 Nov 2017

CMS report on radiation oncology alternative payment model provides viable path to better cancer care

The American Society for Radiation Oncology today called on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to move forward urgently with the development of a radiation oncology alternative payment model following a new report to Congress from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation.

3 Nov 2017

Researchers show how changes along lining of mammary ducts can lead to breast cancer

Breast cancer researchers have mapped early genetic alterations in normal-looking cells at various distances from primary tumors to show how changes along the lining of mammary ducts can lead to disease.

1 Nov 2017

Updated guidelines offer support for appropriate, safe use of accelerated partial-breast irradiation

Cleveland Clinic researcher Chirag Shah, M.D., led the development of updated guidelines for the appropriate and safe utilization of accelerated partial-breast irradiation. The guidelines are published online in the journal, Brachytherapy.

26 Oct 2017

Survival of early stage lung cancer patients improves with advancement in surgery, radiation

With the advancement of surgical and radiation therapy strategies for stage 1 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), more patients are being treated, resulting in higher survival rates, according to a study published online today in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

26 Oct 2017

What men need to know: Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men. Next to skin cancers, prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in American men.

25 Oct 2017

Proton beam therapy can help improve outcomes in elderly patients with esophageal cancer

A study led by Mayo Clinic researchers has found that proton beam therapy, in combination with chemotherapy, prior to surgery, may be a better option than a combination using traditional radiation therapy techniques with chemotherapy when treating elderly patients with esophageal cancer.

25 Oct 2017

Yoga can be beneficial to people with lung cancer and their caregivers

In a feasibility trial of people with advanced lung cancer receiving radiation therapy, and their caregivers, yoga was beneficial to both parties. These findings will be presented at the upcoming 2017 Palliative and Supportive Care in Oncology Symposium in San Diego, California.

24 Oct 2017

Proton beam therapy has lower rates of toxicity in pediatric patients with head and neck cancer

Pediatric patients with head and neck cancer can be treated with proton beam therapy (PBT) instead of traditional photon radiation, and it will result in similar outcomes with less impact on quality of life.

23 Oct 2017

So much care it hurts: Unneeded scans, therapy, surgery only add to patients’ ills

When Annie Dennison was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, she readily followed advice from her medical team, agreeing to harsh treatments in the hope of curing her disease.

23 Oct 2017

Factors associated with disparities in breast cancer survival studied

According to a latest study, several factors are responsible for the differences in the survival statistics of the non-elderly women with breast cancer. For example in 2012, the health reports had revealed that black women have a 43% higher risk of death when affected with breast cancer compared to their white counterparts.

16 Oct 2017

New U-M study examines why overtreatment in older breast cancer patients persists

Recent clinical trials have shown that 90 percent of early stage breast cancer patients over age 70 do not benefit from radiation after breast-conserving surgery. And yet, use of radiation in this context has dropped only minimally.

9 Oct 2017

Gene targets for triple negative breast cancers resistant to chemotherapy found

Researchers have finally found the genetic targets that could be used for treatment and development of new drugs in patients who are resistant to chemotherapy. These patients who are resistant to chemotherapy are most likely to have triple negative breast cancer which is the most aggressive form of breast cancer. The study appeared in the latest issue of the journal Cell Metabolism.

4 Oct 2017

New radiotherapy technology reduces treatment times with improved accuracy

Patients at UC San Diego Health in need of radiation therapy now have access to the next generation of radiation treatment technology. The new radiotherapy system significantly reduces treatment times with improved accuracy.

3 Oct 2017