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.

Research findings show effective way to harness anti-tumor potential of macrophages in cancer therapy

For all the success of a new generation of immunotherapies for cancer, they often leave an entire branch of the immune system's disease-fighting forces untapped.

9 Mar 2017

Study reveals promising new strategy to attack deadly pediatric brain tumor

Researchers from Northwestern Medicine and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago have revealed new insight into how the most deadly pediatric brain tumor, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), may develop.

7 Mar 2017

Many women do not receive guideline-based care for cervical cancer, study finds

Women with locally advanced cervical cancer whose treatment follows national guidelines for care have better survival, regardless of race, ethnicity or stage of cancer.

2 Mar 2017

$Study highlights potential tolerability of single fraction of HDR brachytherapy for localized prostate cancer$

Study highlights potential tolerability of single fraction of HDR brachytherapy for localized prostate cancer

Results from a new prospective clinical trial indicate that high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy administered in a single, 19 Gray treatment may be a safe and effective alternative to longer courses of HDR treatment for men with localized prostate cancer.

1 Mar 2017

New molecule may inhibit growth of aggressive pediatric brain tumor

Northwestern Medicine scientists have found a molecule that stops the growth of an aggressive pediatric brain tumor. The tumor is always fatal and primarily strikes children under 10 years old.

27 Feb 2017

Penn expert suggests shorter radiation treatment for men with prostate cancer

Men with prostate cancer can receive shorter courses of radiation therapy than what is currently considered standard, according to Justin Bekelman, MD, an associate professor of Radiation Oncology, Medical Ethics, and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine and Abramson Cancer Center.

22 Feb 2017

New model of cervical cancer care reduces delay between diagnosis and treatment

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths for women low- and middle-income countries, including Botswana, where 75 percent of cervical cancer patients suffer from advanced forms of the disease.

21 Feb 2017

Researchers develop novel in vivo model for studying pancreatic cancer

Researchers at Okayama University report in the December 2016 issue of the American Journal of Cancer Research a novel in vivo model for the study of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumors.

21 Feb 2017

UAB to bring advanced cancer-fighting radiation technology to Alabama

The University of Alabama at Birmingham will partner with Proton International to bring proton therapy, one of the most technically advanced forms of cancer-killing radiation, to Alabama.

17 Feb 2017

Radiotherapy for breast cancer linked to greater risk of second primary lung cancer

East Asian female breast cancer patients receiving radiotherapy have a higher risk of developing second primary lung cancer.

16 Feb 2017

New ASTRO guideline underscores safety, effectiveness of palliative radiation therapy for bone metastases

The American Society for Radiation Oncology recently published an updated clinical guideline that underscores the safety and effectiveness of palliative radiation therapy (RT) for treating painful bone metastases.

14 Feb 2017

Genetic profiling of blood cells can predict response to stem cell transplant for patients with MDS

A single blood test and basic information about a patient's medical status can indicate which patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) are likely to benefit from a stem cell transplant, and the intensity of pre-transplant chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy that is likely to produce the best results, according to new research by scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital.

9 Feb 2017

Yale researchers identify new genetic defect in brain tumor cells that prevents DNA repair

In a new study, Yale Cancer Center researchers identified a novel genetic defect that prevents brain tumor cells from repairing damaged DNA.

3 Feb 2017

Study shows decreased incidence of radiation esophagitis in elderly NSCLC patients

Elderly non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients undergoing definitive radiation have a lower incidence of esophagitis compared to younger patients and tolerate aggressive standard treatment regimens.

1 Feb 2017

New PET radiotracer effectively detects early and advanced stages of prostate cancer

In the featured article from the February 2017 issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine, researchers document the first-in-human application of a new imaging agent to help find prostate cancer in both early and advanced stages and plan treatment.

1 Feb 2017

UTHealth and Children's Memorial Hermann begin two new clinical trials for pediatric brain cancer

Two new clinical trials for pediatric brain cancer have begun at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital.

31 Jan 2017

Breast conserving therapy better than mastectomy in early-stage breast cancer patients

Breast conserving therapy (BCT, breast conserving surgery combined with radiation therapy) is superior to mastectomy in certain types of breast cancer patients, according to results from the largest study to date, to be presented to the European Cancer Congress 2017 today.

30 Jan 2017

Radiation Therapy News and Research

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