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.

Early stage breast cancer in older women: an interview with Dr. Benjamin Smith

Early stage breast cancer in older women is a common problem. In the United States nearly half of women diagnosed with breast cancer are aged 65 or older. A sizeable proportion of those patients have early stage breast cancer.

15 Aug 2012

Radiation therapy following lumpectomy may benefit older, early-stage breast cancer patients

For the majority of older, early-stage breast cancer patients, radiation therapy following breast conserving surgery may help prevent the need for a later mastectomy, according to research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

13 Aug 2012

Radiation after lumpectomy helps prevent need for subsequent mastectomy in older women with early stage breast cancer

Contrary to clinical recommendations, older women with early stage breast cancer may want to undergo radiation after lumpectomy to help ensure that they will not need a mastectomy in the future. That is the conclusion of a new study published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. The findings indicate that current thinking on the risks and benefits of radiation for early stage breast cancer in older women may be inaccurate.

13 Aug 2012

Loyola to offer new radiotherapy system for cancer patients

A new radiotherapy system at Loyola University Medical Center will offer cancer patients shorter radiation treatments, with pinpoint accuracy and precision.

9 Aug 2012

Chemotherapy is appropriate adjunct to surgery for oral melanoma in dogs

The addition of chemotherapeutic treatment with carboplatin for dogs with oral malignant melanomas that have undergone surgical excision may be a reasonable alternative to adjunctive radiotherapy, report researchers.

8 Aug 2012

Mammography oversold by breast cancer charity

The world’s largest breast cancer charity comes under fire from experts today for using misleading statistics to persuade women to undergo mammography.

3 Aug 2012

Chk1 gene alone is sufficient to kill cancer cells

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have discovered a mutant form of the gene, Chk1, that when expressed in cancer cells, permanently stopped their proliferation and caused cell death without the addition of any chemotherapeutic drugs.

1 Aug 2012

Cancer therapy provides relief for painful foot condition

Research shows that external beam radiation therapy, similar to that used in treating cancer, provides effective pain relief for patients with plantar fasciitis.

30 Jul 2012

Dosimetry data from SalutarisMD episcleral brachytherapy device clinical study on wet AMD

At the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Annual Meeting yesterday, Russell J. Hamilton, PhD, Professor and Physics Section Head, University of Arizona Department of Radiation Oncology, reviewed dosimetry data for a minimally invasive episcleral brachytherapy device developed by Salutaris Medical Devices, Inc. (SalutarisMD) to treat Wet AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration), the leading cause of vision loss and blindness.

30 Jul 2012

Patients with plantar fasciitis experience less pain and improved QOL after standard radiation therapy

Patients with plantar fasciitis (painful bone heel spur) experience significantly less pain and improved quality of life following a standard dose of external beam radiation therapy, a common cancer treatment similar to receiving an X-ray, according to a randomized, cooperative group study that was published online July 25, 2012, in the International Journal of Radiation, Oncology, Biology, Physics (Red Journal), the official scientific journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

30 Jul 2012

Five physicians receive ASTRO research grants to promote advancement of radiation therapy

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has awarded five physicians with research grants to promote the continued advancement of radiation therapy-the Junior Faculty Career Research Training Award and the Residents/Fellows in Radiation Oncology Research Seed Grant Award. Recipients were selected by ASTRO's Research Evaluation Committee.

28 Jul 2012

Short-course palliative RT shows promise

A 2-day course of three-dimensional radiotherapy delivered in twice-daily fractions up to 18 Gy resulted in no dose-limiting toxicities, and high rates of symptom relief in patient with pelvic cancer, especially those with bleeding, report researchers.

26 Jul 2012

Virginia Hospital Center offers new Calypso System for patients with prostate cancer

Virginia Hospital Center is among the few hospitals along the east coast to offer the new Calypso® System featuring GPS for the Body technology and Beacon electromagnetic transponders for patients with certain types of cancer.

26 Jul 2012

Bioniche receives U.S. and Canadian approval for first of two canine oncology products

Bioniche Life Sciences Inc., a research-based, technology-driven Canadian biopharmaceutical company, today announced that the first of two canine oncology products has received approval by regulators in both the U.S. and Canada.

24 Jul 2012

Book details minimum recommended guidelines for radiation oncology practices

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is proud to announce the publication of Safety is No Accident: A Framework for Quality Radiation Oncology and Care, a comprehensive book detailing minimum recommended guidelines for radiation oncology practices.

19 Jul 2012

UCSF Medical Center acquires BSD-2000 Hyperthermia System

BSD Medical Corporation announced today that the prestigious University of California San Francisco Medical Center (UCSF Medical Center) has purchased a BSD-2000 Hyperthermia System (BSD-2000).

19 Jul 2012

MSU nursing researcher’s Wii-Fit program helps lung cancer patients reduce fatigue

With the support of a $379,741 grant from the National Cancer Institute and the Nintendo Wii game system, nursing researcher Amy Hoffman aims to help lung cancer patients reduce fatigue and get more exercise as they transition from the hospital to the home after surgery.

17 Jul 2012

NOXXON commences Spiegelmer NOX-A12 Phase IIa trial in CLL

NOXXON Pharma today announced the treatment of the first cohort of three chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients in a Phase IIa clinical trial of its NOX-A12 anti-CXCL12/SDF-1 (CXC Chemokine Ligand 12 / Stromal Cell-Derived Factor-1) Spiegelmer.

12 Jul 2012

UMHC acquires MicroThermX Microwave Ablation System

BSD Medical Corporation, a leading provider of medical systems that utilize heat therapy to treat cancer, announced today that the Company has sold a MicroThermX Microwave Ablation System to the University of Miami Hospital and Clinics to include the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and the University of Miami Hospital.

9 Jul 2012

Novel treatment for cancer based on protein from HIV-1 virus

Yissum, Research and Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, introduces a novel method for treating cancer based on Vif, a protein isolated from the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1). The method was invented by Professor Emeritus Moshe Kotler and Dr. Roni Nowarski from the Department of Immunology and Cancer Research at the Hebrew University.

9 Jul 2012

Radiation Therapy News and Research

Further Reading

Early stage breast cancer in older women: an interview with Dr. Benjamin Smith

Radiation therapy following lumpectomy may benefit older, early-stage breast cancer patients

Radiation after lumpectomy helps prevent need for subsequent mastectomy in older women with early stage breast cancer

Loyola to offer new radiotherapy system for cancer patients

Chemotherapy is appropriate adjunct to surgery for oral melanoma in dogs

Mammography oversold by breast cancer charity

Chk1 gene alone is sufficient to kill cancer cells

Cancer therapy provides relief for painful foot condition

Dosimetry data from SalutarisMD episcleral brachytherapy device clinical study on wet AMD

Patients with plantar fasciitis experience less pain and improved QOL after standard radiation therapy

Five physicians receive ASTRO research grants to promote advancement of radiation therapy

Short-course palliative RT shows promise

Virginia Hospital Center offers new Calypso System for patients with prostate cancer

Bioniche receives U.S. and Canadian approval for first of two canine oncology products

Book details minimum recommended guidelines for radiation oncology practices

UCSF Medical Center acquires BSD-2000 Hyperthermia System

MSU nursing researcher’s Wii-Fit program helps lung cancer patients reduce fatigue

NOXXON commences Spiegelmer NOX-A12 Phase IIa trial in CLL

UMHC acquires MicroThermX Microwave Ablation System

Novel treatment for cancer based on protein from HIV-1 virus

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

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