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.

Combined treatment regimen shows early promise in eliminating metastatic prostate cancer

In the past, all forms of metastatic prostate cancer have been considered incurable. In recent years, the FDA has approved six drugs for men with metastatic disease, all of which can increase survival.

18 Apr 2017

ASTRO issues new clinical guideline for management of oropharyngeal cancer with radiation therapy

The American Society for Radiation Oncology today issued a new clinical guideline for the management of oropharyngeal cancer.

17 Apr 2017

Clinical study examines impact of yoga on side-effects caused by prostate cancer treatment

Men who attended a structured yoga class twice a week during prostate cancer radiation treatment reported less fatigue and better sexual and urinary function than those who didn't, according to a clinical trial led by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

6 Apr 2017

Protocol violations in reduced radiotherapy lead to worse outcomes in children with brain tumors

A team of investigators has determined that young children participating in a clinical trial to assess the effectiveness of reduced radiotherapy did worse when there were deviations from the treatment protocol.

6 Apr 2017

Genetic screening and counseling likely to benefit childhood cancer survivors, study suggests

Twelve percent of childhood cancer survivors carry germline mutations that put them or their children at increased risk of developing cancer, according to a landmark study presented today at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

4 Apr 2017

Researchers identify biomarker for likely aggressive, early-stage breast cancers

The one-size-fits-all approach to early stage breast cancer creates a paradox: Millions of dollars are spent on unnecessary surgeries and radiation to treat women with low-risk 'in situ' lesions, an estimated 85% of which would never progress to invasive cancers.

4 Apr 2017

Combination of TTFields with standard therapies may improve survival in pancreatic cancer patients

Novocure announced today results from the second cohort of its phase 2 pilot PANOVA trial studying Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) in combination with nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.

31 Mar 2017

Researchers find antibody to be effective against radiation-induced fibrosis

Radiation therapy is part of the treatment regimen for about two thirds of cancer patients today. Radiotherapy is well tolerated in most cases, but it can also lead to damage in healthy tissues that are also irradiated.

31 Mar 2017

Virtual environment education decreases anxiety before prostate cancer treatment

Radiation therapists and physicians know that education can reduce anxiety before radiation treatment but lack a standardized tool. In an effort to solve this problem, a multidisciplinary team from Jefferson College of Health Professions and Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University conducted a pilot study to see if a virtual environment education program could reduce some of the anxiety their patients face.

25 Mar 2017

Reirradiation using proton therapy offers new hope for patients with recurrent lung cancer

A new study offers hope for patients with recurrent lung cancer, who historically have been considered ineligible for curative treatment. In the largest analysis to date of reirradiation using intensity-modulated proton therapy for lung and other thoracic tumors, more than three-fourths of patients were free from local recurrence at one year following retreatment, and fewer than one in ten patients experienced severe side effects.

17 Mar 2017

Research shows SBRT as viable curative option for older lung cancer patients

Patients in their 80s and 90s who have early stage lung cancer but cannot undergo an operation can be treated safely and effectively with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), according to research presented today at the 2017 Multidisciplinary Thoracic Cancers Symposium.

17 Mar 2017

Study reveals prevalence of racial disparities in treatment, outcomes of early stage NSCLC patients

Analysis of the largest American cancer database indicates that racial disparities persist in the treatment and outcomes of patients diagnosed with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

17 Mar 2017

Genetic mutations underlying treatment resistance in NSCLC more dynamic than previously thought

The genetic mutations underlying treatment resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are more complex and dynamic than previously thought.

17 Mar 2017

Combination approach holds potential for treating lung cancer patients

An emerging approach for cancer treatment seeks to combine radiation therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors to more effectively control tumors in the chest with an acceptable risk of severe treatment-related side effects.

17 Mar 2017

Biomarker blood test detects recurrences of lung cancer before conventional imaging methods

Results from a prospective clinical trial showed that a blood test looking at specific biomarkers was able to detect recurrences of lung cancer an average of six months before conventional imaging methods found evidence of recurrence.

17 Mar 2017

Intensity modulated proton therapy shows early promise for treatment of recurrent lung cancer

An advanced form of image-guided radiation therapy, known as intensity modulated proton therapy, has shown early promise for the treatment of recurrent lung cancer, according to new research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

17 Mar 2017

Roswell Park-led study shows benefits of ‘one and done’ SBRT treatment approach for NSCLC patients

New research led by a radiation oncologist at Roswell Park Cancer Institute indicates that less may be more when it comes to some forms of radiation therapy for cancer.

17 Mar 2017

Compressed course of radiation treatment benefits men with localized prostate cancer, study shows

An Ontario-led international clinical trial with 1,206 men with localized prostate cancer shows that compressing radiation treatments into four weeks from eight delivers similar outcomes.

16 Mar 2017

Combined therapy extends survival of older patients with glioblastoma, clinical study shows

Treating older patients who have malignant brain cancer with the chemotherapy drug temozolomide plus a short course of radiation therapy extends survival by two months compared to treating with radiation alone, show clinical trial results published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

15 Mar 2017

Shorter radiation treatment for breast cancer patients could reduce health care spending

More than half of older women with early stage breast cancer received more radiation therapy than what might be medically necessary, adding additional treatment and health care costs, according to a study led by Duke Cancer Institute researchers.

15 Mar 2017

Radiation Therapy News and Research

Further Reading

Combined treatment regimen shows early promise in eliminating metastatic prostate cancer

ASTRO issues new clinical guideline for management of oropharyngeal cancer with radiation therapy

Clinical study examines impact of yoga on side-effects caused by prostate cancer treatment

Protocol violations in reduced radiotherapy lead to worse outcomes in children with brain tumors

Genetic screening and counseling likely to benefit childhood cancer survivors, study suggests

Researchers identify biomarker for likely aggressive, early-stage breast cancers

Combination of TTFields with standard therapies may improve survival in pancreatic cancer patients

Researchers find antibody to be effective against radiation-induced fibrosis

Virtual environment education decreases anxiety before prostate cancer treatment

Reirradiation using proton therapy offers new hope for patients with recurrent lung cancer

Research shows SBRT as viable curative option for older lung cancer patients

Study reveals prevalence of racial disparities in treatment, outcomes of early stage NSCLC patients

Genetic mutations underlying treatment resistance in NSCLC more dynamic than previously thought

Combination approach holds potential for treating lung cancer patients

Biomarker blood test detects recurrences of lung cancer before conventional imaging methods

Intensity modulated proton therapy shows early promise for treatment of recurrent lung cancer

Roswell Park-led study shows benefits of ‘one and done’ SBRT treatment approach for NSCLC patients

Compressed course of radiation treatment benefits men with localized prostate cancer, study shows

Combined therapy extends survival of older patients with glioblastoma, clinical study shows

Shorter radiation treatment for breast cancer patients could reduce health care spending

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