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.

Scars, disfigurement and hair loss from childhood cancer can affect adult quality of life

Scars left behind by childhood cancer treatments are more than skin-deep. The increased risk of disfigurement and persistent hair loss caused by childhood cancer and treatment are associated with emotional distress and reduced quality of life in adulthood, according to a new study led by a Northwestern Medicine advanced practice nurse, Karen Kinahan, and based on data from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.

25 May 2012

PSA test benefits are questionable, yet physicians struggle to stop them

Recent recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) advising elimination of routine prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening for prostate cancer in healthy men are likely to encounter serious pushback from primary care physicians, according to results of a survey by Johns Hopkins investigators.

24 May 2012

MGH develops new technique to reconstruct the larynx after surgery for advanced cancer

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) surgeons have developed a new technique for reconstructing the larynx after surgery for advanced cancer.

22 May 2012

Treatment of early stage prostate cancer can also result in improved QOL for men with LUTS

Treatment of early stage prostate cancer can also result in improved quality of life for a subgroup of men who suffer from lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), according to an abstract of a Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center-led study presented to the American Urological Association.

21 May 2012

Spectrum initiates ZEVALIN and MGd Phase 2 combination study in NHL

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company with fully integrated commercial and drug development operations with a primary focus in hematology and oncology, today announced the initiation of a Phase 2 study evaluating ZEVALIN (ibritumomab tiuxetan) Injection for intravenous use + rituximab in combination with motexafin gadolinium (MGd) in patients with rituximab-refractory low-grade or follicular B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

18 May 2012

Radiation oncology researchers revise glioblastoma classification system

Radiation oncology researchers have revised the system used by doctors since the 1990s to determine the prognosis of people with glioblastoma, which is the most devastating of malignant brain tumors.

17 May 2012

New insight into treatment patterns for people with stage two and three rectal cancer

Research from the University of Alberta provides new insight into treatment patterns for people with stage two and three rectal cancer-information that ultimately will help physicians improve care strategies for patients provincewide.

16 May 2012

IMRIS first quarter revenues decrease to $3.5 million

IMRIS Inc. today reported its results for the first quarter of 2012. All figures are reported in US dollars.

15 May 2012

Lilly to present oncology data from more than 25 studies at ASCO annual meeting

Eli Lilly and Company will present data from more than 25 studies at the 48th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago, Ill. from June 1 – 5, 2012, including overall survival results from PARAMOUNT, a Phase III study of an ALIMTA (pemetrexed for injection)-based continuation maintenance regimen for the treatment of advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer.

15 May 2012

Breast brachytherapy with strut-based applicator effective for early-stage breast cancer

Breast brachytherapy with a strut-based applicator is a well-tolerated and effective treatment for early-stage breast cancer, according to a multi-site study with a median follow-up of four years. The research was presented as a scientific poster at the European Society for Radiology & Oncology (ESTRO) World Congress of Brachytherapy in Barcelona, May 10-12.

14 May 2012

DIBH can spare hearts and lungs of breast cancer patients from radiation

Respiratory movement during radiotherapy makes it difficult to hit the right treatment target and this in turn can lead to an under-dose of radiation to the tumour, or a potentially toxic over-dose to the surrounding healthy tissue. Getting this right is a real challenge for the radiotherapist, but new techniques are helping to deliver the correct dose to the right place, the 31st conference of the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO 31) will hear today.

14 May 2012

German and Portuguese hospital first to use iCAD’s Xoft system in Europe

iCAD, Inc., an industry-leading provider of advanced image analysis, workflow solutions and radiation therapy for the early identification and treatment of cancer, announced the first European patients have been treated with the Xoft Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy System.

11 May 2012

IGABT effective at controlling return and spread of cervical cancer

Delivering radiotherapy directly to cancer of the cervix using 3-D imaging techniques is effective at controlling the return and spread of the disease and, in most cases, avoids the need for hysterectomies, according to research presented at the World Congress of Brachytherapy today.

11 May 2012

Advaxis commences enrollment in ADXS-HPV Phase 1/2 study for head and neck cancer

Advaxis, Inc.,, a leader in developing the next generation of immunotherapies for cancer and infectious diseases, announced that two patients have been enrolled into REALISTIC, a Phase 1/2 study being sponsored by Cancer Research UK (CRUK) to investigate the use of ADXS-HPV for the treatment of HPV positive head and neck cancer. HPV is associated with 40-70% of head and neck cancers.

8 May 2012

Breast brachytherapy with strut-based applicator effective for women with DCIS

Breast brachytherapy with a strut-based applicator appears to be an effective treatment for women who have ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast, according to a groundbreaking study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, held in Phoenix May 2-4.

8 May 2012

iCAD first quarter total revenue decreases 14% to $6.3 million

iCAD, Inc., an industry-leading provider of advanced image analysis, workflow solutions and radiation therapy for the early identification and treatment of cancer, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2012.

8 May 2012

Landauer second quarter revenue increases 21% to $39.1 million

Landauer, Inc., a recognized leader in personal and environmental radiation monitoring, outsourced medical physics services and high quality medical consumable accessories, today reported financial results for its fiscal 2012 second quarter ended March 31, 2012.

8 May 2012

Radiofrequency ablation during breast cancer surgery can provide effective alternative to XRT

Radiofrequency ablation of the lumpectomy site during breast cancer surgery can provide an effective alternative to post-operative external radiation therapy (XRT) and reduce repeat surgeries to achieve clear tumor margins, according to one of the first published long-term studies to examine this new treatment protocol.

5 May 2012

iCAD, Breastlink announce agreement to offer Xoft brachytherapy system

iCAD, Inc., an industry-leading provider of advanced image analysis, workflow solutions and radiation therapy for the early identification and treatment of cancer, and Breastlink Medical Group in Southern California, today announced an agreement that will make the Xoft Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy System available to breast cancer patients treated at Breastlink.

5 May 2012

Misleading information about breast brachytherapy

One of the leading experts on radiation therapy for breast cancer says a new study in JAMA -- about breast cancer treatment - has misleading information and may unnecessarily deter women from getting breast brachytherapy, a safe and effective treatment.

2 May 2012