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.

Adopting a comprehensive and integrative healing strategy for cancer

The cancer drugs, radiation therapy and cancer surgery available today help millions of people survive their cancer.

27 Jul 2014

Cedars-Sinai investigators developing novel treatment for locally advanced pancreatic cancer

Investigators at the Cedars-Sinai Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute are developing a novel, multistep investigational treatment for one of the most complex and difficult-to-treat forms of the disease, locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

23 Jul 2014

Oraya Therapy now being offered at NHS hospital in the UK and at four prestigious university hospitals in Germany

Oraya Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that it is significantly expanding its presence in Europe, with Oraya Therapy being offered for the first time at a National Health Service hospital in the United Kingdom and at four prestigious university hospitals in Germany. Oraya Therapy is intended as a one-time, non-invasive treatment for wet Age-related Macular Degeneration, with the potential to maintain or enhance vision while significantly reducing the required number of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections into the eye.

22 Jul 2014

Study of cancer radiation therapy shows that DNA building blocks are susceptible to fragmentation

A new study relevant for cancer radiation therapy shows that DNA building blocks are susceptible to fragmentation. Scientists now have a better understanding of how short DNA strands decompose in microseconds

16 Jul 2014

Novocure: 18 physicians certified to prescribe NovoTTF Therapy in Europe and Israel

Novocure, a commercial stage oncology company, announced today that 18 prominent neurosurgeons and neuro-oncologists at medical centers in Europe and Israel are trained and certified to prescribe NovoTTF Therapy.

15 Jul 2014

New research explores why active surveillance underused in patients with prostate cancer

New research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is shedding light on the important role a diagnosing urologist plays in whether older men with low-risk prostate cancer receive treatment for their disease, and if so, the type of treatment they receive as a result.

15 Jul 2014

Medac Pharma's Rasuvo injection gets FDA approval for RA, pJIA and psoriasis

Medac Pharma, Inc., a privately held pharmaceutical company focused on the development of new molecules and improving the effectiveness of existing medicines, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Rasuvo, a subcutaneous injectable methotrexate (MTX) therapy delivered in an auto-injector for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), polyarticular-course juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA) and psoriasis.

14 Jul 2014

Researchers examine why antioxidant actually do more harm than good

For decades, health-conscious people around the globe have taken antioxidant supplements and eaten foods rich in antioxidants, figuring this was one of the paths to good health and a long life.

11 Jul 2014

New hope for women with early-stage breast cancer

Women with early-stage breast cancer may now receive a one-dose radiation treatment at the same time as lumpectomy surgery, eliminating the need to return to the hospital daily for up to six weeks for post surgical radiation treatments.

3 Jul 2014

Proton beam therapy improves head and neck cancers free survival compared to IMRT

A new study by radiation oncologists at Mayo Clinic comparing the world's literature on outcomes of proton beam therapy in the treatment of a variety of advanced head and neck cancers of the skull base compared to intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) has found that proton beam therapy significantly improved disease free survival and tumor control when compared to IMRT.

1 Jul 2014

Prophage autologous cancer vaccine extends survival in patients with newly diagnosed GBM

Agenus Inc., announced final results from a single-arm, multi-institutional, open-label, Phase 2 study showing that patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) who received Agenus' Prophage autologous cancer vaccine added to the standard of care treatment, lived nearly twice as long as expected.

1 Jul 2014

Key historical misconceptions hinder research and treatment for brain metastases

"Key historical misconceptions" are hindering progress in research and treatment for patients with cancer metastases to the brain, suggests a special article in the July issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

25 Jun 2014

Study: Most physicians don't recommend active surveillance for low-risk prostate cancer

Specialists who treat prostate cancer agree that active surveillance is an effective option-yet most don't recommend it when appropriate for their own patients, according to a study in the July issue of Medical Care. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins , a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

18 Jun 2014

Conventional proton radiotherapy to fight against cancer

The future face of modern-day anti-cancer therapy based on charged particles like protons could potentially involve using laser accelerators. However, these facilities will need to be reduced in terms of both size and cost compared to conventional ones.

11 Jun 2014

New guidelines aim to improve delivery of prostate cancer survivorship care

New American Cancer Society Prostate Cancer Survivorship Care guidelines released today outline posttreatment clinical follow-up care for the myriad of long-term and late effects an estimated 2.8 million prostate cancer survivors in the United States may face.

11 Jun 2014

Inovio evaluates responses of immunotherapy product in treating HPV linked head and neck cancer

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE MKT: INO) today announced it has initiated a phase I/IIa clinical trial to evaluate safety, immunogenicity and clinical responses of its immunotherapy product, INO-3112, in treating human papillomavirus (HPV)- associated head and neck cancer.

10 Jun 2014

Survival rates for African-Americans with head and neck cancer not improved in the last 40 years

The national survival rates for African-Americans diagnosed with head and neck cancer have not improved in the last 40 years despite advances in the treatment and management of the disease, University of Missouri School of Medicine researchers have found in a new study.

6 Jun 2014

ASTRO issues new Model Policy for proton beam therapy

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has issued a new Model Policy for proton beam therapy (PBT) that details which cancer diagnoses meet ASTRO's evidence-based standards and should be covered by private insurers and Medicare.

5 Jun 2014

Congress supports full Medicare coverage of lung cancer screening for seniors

A large number of United States Senators and Representatives are taking the lead to support full Medicare coverage of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening for seniors at high risk for lung cancer.