Radiation Therapy News and Research

RSS

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 reveals alarming increase in oropharyngeal cancers among young adults

A new study reveals an alarming increase in oropharyngeal cancers among young adults. While the exact cause for this phenomenon is unknown, the human papillomavirus (HPV) may be to blame.

30 Jan 2014

Aspirin intake correlates with halted growth of lethal intracranial tumor

Researchers from Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Massachusetts General Hospital have demonstrated, for the first time, that aspirin intake correlates with halted growth of vestibular schwannomas (also known as acoustic neuromas), a sometimes lethal intracranial tumor that typically causes hearing loss and tinnitus.

24 Jan 2014

Moderate radiation doses can kill premalignant cells and prevent second breast cancers

Survivors of breast cancer have a one in six chance of developing breast cancer in the other breast. But a study conducted in mice suggests that survivors can dramatically reduce that risk through treatment with moderate doses of radiation to the unaffected breast at the same time that they receive radiation therapy to their affected breast.

24 Jan 2014

Prostate cancer patients treated with ADT experience mental, emotional well-being during treatment

A new study published in the Journal of Urology- reports that prostate cancer patients treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) experienced changes in mental and emotional well-being during treatment, although there was no meaningful decline in emotional quality of life two years after treatment.

24 Jan 2014

Study suggests potential therapeutic role of aspirin in inhibiting vestibular schwannoma growth

24 Jan 2014

New tools to increase precision and safety of radiation treatment in cancer patients

A scientific breakthrough may give the field of radiation oncology new tools to increase the precision and safety of radiation treatment in cancer patients by helping doctors "see" the powerful beams of a linear accelerator as they enter or exit the body.

23 Jan 2014

Mesothelioma patients treated with radiation before surgery experience speedier recovery

Results of clinical research that treated mesothelioma with radiation before surgery show the three-year survival rate more than doubled for study participants afflicted with this deadly disease, compared to treating with surgery first.

21 Jan 2014

Agenus' Prophage vaccine Phase 2 study hailed in Neuro-Oncology journal

Agenus Inc., a biotechnology company developing novel immune system activating treatments for cancers and infectious diseases, announced that Phase 2 results of Prophage G-200 vaccine in recurrent patients with glioblastoma multiforme were hailed as 'exciting' and a 'very promising therapy' in an editorial published in Neuro-Oncology, the leading journal of the Society of Neuro-Oncology.

21 Jan 2014

RTOG phase II clinical trial of Bevacizumab (Avastin) shows positive results for treatment of cervical cancer

An article published in the January issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics reports results of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) phase II clinical trial of Bevacizumab (Avastin) in addition to cisplatin and pelvic radiation for locally advanced cervical cancer.

16 Jan 2014

BRAF mutation associated with other cancers appears to drive papillary craniopharyngiomas

A team led by investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Broad Institute has found that a gene mutation associated with several types of cancer also may be responsible for a rare but debilitating brain tumor called papillary craniopharyngioma.

13 Jan 2014

Synta initiates three multicenter trials to evaluate ganetespib with chemotherapy for AML and MDS

Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp. today announced the initiation of three multicenter, randomized trials supported by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Research Fund and Cancer Research UK, evaluating ganetespib in combination with chemotherapy in first-line treatment of patients with AML and high risk MDS.

10 Jan 2014

Cosmetic results after "lumpectomy" differ for African-American versus Caucasian women

As perceived by both patients and doctors, the cosmetic results after "lumpectomy" for breast cancer differ for African-American versus Caucasian women, suggests a pilot study in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery-Global Open-, the official open-access medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

9 Jan 2014

EC grants approval for ABRAXANE in combination with gemcitabine for metastatic pancreatic cancer

Celgene International Sàrl, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Celgene Corporation, today announced that the European Commission has granted approval for ABRAXANE (paclitaxel formulated as albumin bound nanoparticles, or nab-paclitaxel) in combination with gemcitabine for first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, or metastatic pancreatic cancer.

7 Jan 2014

Researchers receive $540M from Ludwig Cancer Research to accelerate research on metastasis

Cancer researchers at the University of Chicago and five other leading institutions will share equally in a $540 million gift from Ludwig Cancer Research, on behalf of its founder Daniel K. Ludwig. Ludwig Cancer Research is an international community of researchers dedicated to pursuing life-changing discoveries to alter the course of cancer.

7 Jan 2014

Perioperative analgesia may improve prostate cancer outcomes

Neuraxial analgesia added to general anesthesia for radical retropubic prostatectomy may lead to improved oncologic outcomes in prostate cancer, US researchers have found.

6 Jan 2014

City of Hope to offer radiation oncology services to patients in the Arcadia area

City of Hope and Methodist Hospital of Southern California have reached an agreement in which City of Hope will acquire the hospital's radiation oncology service in Arcadia. The acquisition will expand access to City of Hope's renowned expertise in radiation therapy and will provide additional convenience for patients seeking specialized cancer services.

2 Jan 2014

China's Health Department of the People's Liberation Army orders clinical solutions from Elekta

To help manage the growing incidence of cancer, China's Health Department of the People's Liberation Army has ordered a comprehensive range of clinical solutions from Elekta. Fourteen hospitals around the country will receive in total 15 linear accelerators (linacs).

From Elekta 2 Jan 2014

Innovative therapy offers new hope to breast cancer patients

A novel breast-cancer therapy that partially reverses the cancerous state in cultured breast tumor cells and prevents cancer development in mice, could one day provide a new way to treat early stages of the disease without resorting to surgery, chemotherapy or radiation, a multi-institutional team led by researchers from the Wyss Institute of Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University reported January 1 in Science Translational Medicine.

2 Jan 2014

Surgery offers better survival, functional outcomes than chemotherapy for patients with tongue cancer

Patients with tongue cancer who started their treatment with a course of chemotherapy fared significantly worse than patients who received surgery first, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

27 Dec 2013

RaySearch receives 2 orders for RayStation treatment planning system from proton treatment centers

RaySearch Laboratories AB has received two orders for its RayStation® treatment planning system from the proton treatment centers Seattle ProCure Management LLC in Seattle, Washington, and Princeton ProCure Management LLC in Princeton, New Jersey. The two centers will use RayStation® for treatment planning of proton radiation therapy.

23 Dec 2013

Radiation Therapy News and Research

Further Reading

Study reveals alarming increase in oropharyngeal cancers among young adults

Aspirin intake correlates with halted growth of lethal intracranial tumor

Moderate radiation doses can kill premalignant cells and prevent second breast cancers

Prostate cancer patients treated with ADT experience mental, emotional well-being during treatment

Study suggests potential therapeutic role of aspirin in inhibiting vestibular schwannoma growth

New tools to increase precision and safety of radiation treatment in cancer patients

Mesothelioma patients treated with radiation before surgery experience speedier recovery

Agenus' Prophage vaccine Phase 2 study hailed in Neuro-Oncology journal

RTOG phase II clinical trial of Bevacizumab (Avastin) shows positive results for treatment of cervical cancer

BRAF mutation associated with other cancers appears to drive papillary craniopharyngiomas

Synta initiates three multicenter trials to evaluate ganetespib with chemotherapy for AML and MDS

Cosmetic results after "lumpectomy" differ for African-American versus Caucasian women

EC grants approval for ABRAXANE in combination with gemcitabine for metastatic pancreatic cancer

Researchers receive $540M from Ludwig Cancer Research to accelerate research on metastasis

Perioperative analgesia may improve prostate cancer outcomes

City of Hope to offer radiation oncology services to patients in the Arcadia area

China's Health Department of the People's Liberation Army orders clinical solutions from Elekta

Innovative therapy offers new hope to breast cancer patients

Surgery offers better survival, functional outcomes than chemotherapy for patients with tongue cancer

RaySearch receives 2 orders for RayStation treatment planning system from proton treatment centers

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

Latest News