ASTRO applauds Maryland's ruling to uphold patient choice

(Media-Newswire.com) - The American Society for Radiation Oncology ( ASTRO ) is very pleased with yesterday's ruling by the Maryland Court of Appeals preserving strong patient protections against abusive physician self-referral in radiation therapy and advanced diagnostic imaging.

"Today's ruling represents a victory for patients in Maryland. We hope this decision will jump start congressional action to ensure that all Americans can make independent treatment decisions based on quality care, not perverse financial incentives," Laura I. Thevenot, ASTRO CEO, said.

ASTRO believes it is wrong to create business enterprises centered on rewarding physicians for making referrals, yet we are increasingly seeing business ventures designed to generate additional revenues within a group practice by incorporating radiation therapy. We believe these arrangements, allowed by the federal self-referral law's "in-office ancillary services exception" erode patient choice and can result in dramatic increases in one form of radiation therapy, while the use of other clinically appropriate, significantly less expensive treatments, such as radiation seed implants or even "watchful waiting," have declined or disappeared. This may also lead to unnecessary Medicare spending. ASTRO's position is that radiation therapy should be removed from the law's exception, unless provided by a robust multispecialty clinic.

source: Media Newswire

Erchonia Laser May Help Cancer Patients with Radiation Treatments

MCKINNEY, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Erchonia Corporation, the global leader in low level laser healthcare applications, today announces results of a pilot study testing the ability of low level lasers to reduce the negative side-effects of radiation therapy for cancer patients.

“The goal is to prove to physicians and patients that a safe and effective treatment is available to suppress the common but severe adverse events of radiation therapy”

Patients who undergo aggressive cancer therapies must also endure a host of painful side-effects. An estimated 80% suffer from severe toxicity with nearly 50% experiencing side-effects so intense they choose to terminate their cancer treatment before completion.

The pilot investigation assessed the efficacy of an Erchonia low-level laser to combat these adverse reactions. All patients who received the laser treatment revealed a significant improvement in pain, dermatitis and oral mucositis caused by radiation therapy.

Dr. David Bryant, an oncologist at the Via Christi Medical Center in Kansas, performed the study and used the Erchonia laser device to treat cancer patients who were experiencing a significant amount of pain. After a few treatments with the laser, patients ready to abandon radiation were able to complete their regimen in full.

Dr. Bryant remarks, “The study was designed to show a reduction in pain, improved treatment retention, and reduction in treatment toxicity. It was incredible to see such a significant reduction in negative side effects. The resolution of these symptoms could be the difference between cancer treatment success and failure.”

source: Erchonia

Elekta Receives CE Mark for Fraxion, Immobilization System Designed to Improve Accuracy and Precision in Cranial Cancer Treatments

The Fraxion head frame helps ensure accuracy and precision in stereotactic radiation therapy of cancer targets in the brain and cranium. Elekta’s Fraxion is the first to introduce an innovative system that integrates all proven cranial immobilization options in a single solution.

“The advantage of Fraxion head fixation is that it is a stereotactic system that can be used for nearly any patient,” says Prof. Dr. Meinhard Nevinny-Stickel, a radiation oncologist in the Department of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, Medical University Innsbruck (Austria). “The patient can be immobilized with a thermoplastic mask, with the proven vacuum mouthpiece, or even a combination of both systems. Precise repositioning is possible with easily accessible adjustment screws—which make it much easier to fixate the patient in the treatment room.”

The partial and full head thermoplastic masks provide alternative immobilization options for non-invasive setup, without compromising accuracy. Combining the thermoplastic mask with the vacuum mouthpiece increases flexibility in setup options, allowing optimal setup based on the patient’s needs.

source: Elekta

Swedish Cancer Institute Installs First TomoTherapy® Radiation Therapy System in Seattle Metropolitan Area

MADISON, WI--(Marketwire - January 24, 2011) - TomoTherapy Incorporated (NASDAQ: TOMO), maker of advanced radiation therapy solutions for the treatment of cancer and other diseases, today announced that Swedish Cancer Institute (SCI) has installed the first TomoTherapy® radiation therapy system in the Seattle area at its new, community-based Radiation Treatment Center on the Ballard, Wash. campus.

"We selected the TomoTherapy system because it's a promising technology with many advantages -- from the complete integration of treatment planning, imaging and treatment delivery, to its flexibility in treating a wide range of cancers," said Dan Landis, M.D., Ph.D., the lead physician at the SCI facility on the Swedish/Ballard campus. "In a large system like ours, we want to be able to offer our patients the very best care in every situation, and TomoTherapy technology gives us the ability to do so."

The TomoTherapy radiation therapy system is the only one of its kind to be built on a CT imaging platform, which allows clinicians to see the tumor immediately before treatment and adjust radiation delivery in real-time. The ring-like design enables helical delivery of radiation from all angles around a patient, and features beam-shaping technology specifically designed for delivering intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). These features provide clinicians with greater control of how they can conform radiation delivery to complex tumors, while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues.

source: Tomotherapy

ASTRO publishes first issue of Practical Radiation Oncology

Fairfax, Va., January 19, 2011 - The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is pleased to announce it has published its first issue of Practical Radiation Oncology (PRO), a new medical journal whose mission is to improve the quality of radiation oncology practice. Published by leading scientific publisher Elsevier, the issue is both available in print and online at www.practicalradonc.org.

Under the guidance of editor-in-chief W. Robert Lee, M.D., M.S., M.Ed., a professor of radiation oncology and program director at Duke University in Durham, N.C., PRO is a natural complement to the Society's primary research journal, the International Journal of Radiation Oncology•Biology•Physics (also called the Red Journal), and aims to be what Medline defines as a clinical or practice journal. These types of journals have as their dominant purpose either documenting the state of current practice, providing background for those in training or the continuing education of practitioners.

"I am very pleased with our first issue and I am humbled so many of my colleagues have taken the time to submit important manuscripts as well as volunteer their time to become reviewers," Dr. Lee said. "Highlights of the first issue include two articles on the importance of safety in radiation oncology, a timely and important topic for our specialty. We would all do well to read these articles, reflect on the content and consider improvements in our practices. Another must-read article in this issue is an excellent summary of radiation-induced optic neuropathy; an article I view as a model for future manuscripts."

source: American Society for Radiation Oncology

HIV-positive head and neck cancer patients benefit from radiation therapy

(Media-Newswire.com) - HIV-positive head and neck cancer patients respond well to radiation therapy treatments and experience similar toxicity rates as non-HIV-positive patients, despite prior reports to the contrary, according to a study in the January issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology•Biology•Physics, an official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology ( ASTRO ).

Patients with HIV have a significantly higher risk of developing some types of cancers; however, since the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy ( HAART ) began in the mid-1990s, the instances of AIDS-related cancer have greatly decreased. This has alternately caused a higher incidence of these patients developing non-AIDS-related cancers, including those originating from the head and neck.

Radiation therapy constitutes a current standard treatment for head and neck cancer, but there has been very little investigation into how radiation therapy affects HIV-positive patients. Traditionally, aggressive treatment such as radiation therapy has been used sparingly in this population due to concerns regarding acute and late complications. This newly presented research sought to determine the feasibility of radiation therapy and the likelihood of cure for HIV-positive patients with head and neck cancer.

The three-year estimates of overall survival and local-regional control were 78 percent and 92 percent, respectively. Grade 3+ toxicity was reported by 58 percent of patients, but this did not appear worse than the standard rate seen in HIV-negative patients.

source: Media Newswire

Intensity-Modulated Radiotheraphy Protects Saliva Function and Improves Quality of Life for Head and Neck Cancer Patients Compared with Conventional Radiotherapy

(PressZoom) - Treating head and neck cancer with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) that spares the major salivary glands, reduces xerostomia (dry mouth which can affect speech and swallowing) and improves quality of life compared with conventional radiotherapy, according to the self-reported experience of patients published Online First in The Lancet Oncology.

These findings, from the largest randomised trial of IMRT in head and neck cancer so far, will improve the function and quality of life for thousands of patients with squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC), the most common type of head and neck cancer worldwide.

Conventional radiotherapy for head and neck cancers damages the parotid salivary glands which secrete saliva, and dry mouth is the most frequently reported late side-effect. A lack of saliva prevents patients from eating solid food and speaking normally, and can accelerate development of tooth decay.

In contrast, IMRT can deliver precise radiation to tumours while minimising exposure to healthy surrounding tissues. Small phase 2 studies have shown better saliva function in patients given IMRT compared with conventional radiotherapy.

The PARSPORT randomised phase 3 trial was funded by Cancer Research UK and designed to confirm whether IMRT reduces the incidence of severe dry mouth compared with conventional radiotherapy. Between January 2003 and December 2007, 94 patients with HNSCC were enrolled from six radiotherapy centres across the UK and randomly assigned to IMRT (47 patients) or conventional radiotherapy (47).

source: Press Zoom

First Five-Year Outcomes Published on CyberKnife Radiosurgery for Prostate Cancer

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Accuray Incorporated, a global leader in the field of radiosurgery, announced today the first published five-year outcomes on low risk prostate cancer patients treated with the CyberKnife® Robotic Radiosurgery System. The multi-center study, published in the January 10, 2011 issue of Radiation Oncology, found that 93 percent of patients had no recurrence of their cancer at a median follow-up of five years, a rate that compares favorably to results obtained with other treatment modalities, including surgery and conventional radiation therapy.

The study, "Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Low-Risk Prostate Cancer: Five-Year Outcomes," combined data from 41 patients treated at Stanford University in Stanford, Calif. and Naples Community Hospital in Naples, Fla. with a median follow-up of five years. The paper represents the longest published study to date on the use of CyberKnife radiosurgery, also referred to as stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), as a treatment approach for clinically localized, low-risk prostate cancer. In addition to demonstrating high five-year disease-free survival rates, the study also found generally low levels of urinary and rectal toxicity following the five-day course of treatment, concluding that CyberKnife radiosurgery can achieve high rates of disease control while sparing critical structures, thereby minimizing undesirable side effects typically associated with prostate cancer treatments and preserving patients' quality of life.

source: Accuray

Varian Medical Systems Receives 510(k) Clearance for its Proton Therapy System

PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) has received FDA 510(k) clearance for the Varian Proton Therapy System which generates protons for precision radiotherapy of lesions, tumors, and conditions anywhere where radiation treatment is indicated. It is the first working system capable of delivering precise intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) using pencil beam scanning technology.

"With this clearance, we have reached a significant milestone in the development of the Varian Particle Therapy (VPT) business and technology," said Lester Boeh, vice president of emerging businesses for Varian Medical Systems. "It means our clinical partners will be able to treat patients as soon as their systems are commissioned without the need to seek individual site-specific clearances. This will make it easier for customers to secure financing for their projects."

Varian is actively marketing its system under the ProBeam™ brand, and it has been selected as the preferred supplier for several proton therapy projects, including the Scripps Proton Therapy Center which is now under construction in San Diego where treatments are scheduled to begin in 2013.

source: Varian Medical Systems