RPCI Uses "Dose-painted" Radiation Therapy to Improve Quality of Life for Anal Cancer Patients

Buffalo, NY - Most patients with anal cancer receive radiation as part of their treatment plan, but the anus is “a very sensitive area of the human body, almost like the fingertips,” notes Gary Yang, MD, Director of Gastrointestinal Radiation Medicine at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI). That’s of special concern, because radiation can burn the skin and cause other side effects that can bring treatments to a halt. “And if the patient has to take a break during treatment, you’re giving the tumor a break, too,” says Dr. Yang, who also serves on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Esophageal/Gastric Cancers Guidelines Committees.

RPCI is among only a handful of centers in North America that use “dose-painted” intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) to precisely target anal tumors with high-dose radiation while minimizing the exposure of healthy tissue in the small bowel, bladder, external genitalia, skin and bone marrow.

“We can spare the anal sphincter so a patient doesn’t have to have a colostomy bag,” he adds. “With a combination of chemotherapy and dose-painted IMRT, 75% of patients should be able to avoid lifelong colostomy resulting from anal surgery. There’s better quality of life, and a better outcome, because there are no interruptions to treatment.”

While IMRT is used widely for treating other cancer sites, “it has not been implemented for anal cancer [at most institutions], due to the level of technology and support it requires,” says Dr. Yang. “You can have a top-of-the-line machine, but you also need highly experienced cancer specialists, dosimetrists, physicists and support staff working together to determine the best treatment plan.”

source: Roswell Park Cancer Institute

RPCI Uses "Dose-painted" Radiation Therapy to Improve Quality of Life for Anal Cancer Patients

Buffalo, NY - Most patients with anal cancer receive radiation as part of their treatment plan, but the anus is “a very sensitive area of the human body, almost like the fingertips,” notes Gary Yang, MD, Director of Gastrointestinal Radiation Medicine at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI). That’s of special concern, because radiation can burn the skin and cause other side effects that can bring treatments to a halt. “And if the patient has to take a break during treatment, you’re giving the tumor a break, too,” says Dr. Yang, who also serves on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Esophageal/Gastric Cancers Guidelines Committees.

RPCI is among only a handful of centers in North America that use “dose-painted” intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) to precisely target anal tumors with high-dose radiation while minimizing the exposure of healthy tissue in the small bowel, bladder, external genitalia, skin and bone marrow.

“We can spare the anal sphincter so a patient doesn’t have to have a colostomy bag,” he adds. “With a combination of chemotherapy and dose-painted IMRT, 75% of patients should be able to avoid lifelong colostomy resulting from anal surgery. There’s better quality of life, and a better outcome, because there are no interruptions to treatment.”

While IMRT is used widely for treating other cancer sites, “it has not been implemented for anal cancer [at most institutions], due to the level of technology and support it requires,” says Dr. Yang. “You can have a top-of-the-line machine, but you also need highly experienced cancer specialists, dosimetrists, physicists and support staff working together to determine the best treatment plan.”

source: Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Novel Radiation Therapy to Treat Lung Cancer Used for the First Time in United States, at New York Hospital Queens

FLUSHING, N.Y., Dec. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A 58-year-old man who lives in Corona, Queens came to the emergency room of New York Hospital Queens (NYHQ) with extreme pain and tingling in his left arm. Although he did not realize it at the time, he had lung cancer. Recently, he made medical history as the first patient in the United States to be treated for lung cancer through the use of radioactive pellets placed directly in the tumor, and today his recovery is going well. Known as brachytherapy, this treatment approach is commonly used to treat prostate cancer.

"Although the patient came in because of pain in his arm, it was not due to an injury. It was discovered that the cause was a Pancoast tumor, a tumor in the lungs that affects the arms and shoulders but rarely causes symptoms, such as cough or shortness of breath, typically associated with the lungs," according to Dattatreyudu Nori, M.D., chairman, Radiation Oncology.

The patient was treated with high dose chemotherapy and then underwent treatment with external beam radiation. Although he did have some positive response, the tumor was still present. Because of the location of the tumor, the NYHQ physicians knew that additional conventional treatment could endanger surrounding critical structures including nerves and vessels, and could affect the other organs of his body.

With the options becoming limited, Dr. Nori, along with colleague Paul C. Lee, M.D., the hospital's vice chairman of cardiothoracic surgery, decided to perform a surgical resection of the tumor and then implanted the tumor bed with radioactive Cesium 131 pellets -- in a new type of brachytherapy procedure. Brachytherapy involves the implantation of radioactive seeds into the tumor site to kill the remaining cancer cells after surgical resection, while limiting the damage to healthy tissue. Brachytherapy has been successful in treating prostate cancer, but had never been used to treat this form of aggressive lung cancer.

source: PR Newswire

European Radiotherapy Pioneers Deliver First Varian RapidArc™ Treatment for Rectal Carcinoma Patient

GHENT, Belgium, Dec. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ghent University Hospital in Belgium, among the first hospitals in the world to pioneer radiotherapy treatments using arc therapy, has carried out its first treatment using fast and efficient RapidArc radiotherapy technology from Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR). A 56-year-old male rectal carcinoma patient was treated in just 75 seconds, over four times faster than possible using conventional fixed-beam treatments.

"This treatment would have taken more than five minutes using conventional intensity-modulated radiotherapy and such time-savings are very important both for the wellbeing of the patient and the efficiency of the hospital," said Professor Marc van Eijkeren, head of Ghent University Hospital's Department of Radiation Oncology. "We were able to achieve an increase in dose to the tumor while using far fewer monitor units of radiation to achieve this. Indeed, there was threefold reduction in monitor units used, which is helpful in tissue sparing and increasing patient comfort."

"We are a busy university hospital and we are under constant strain to deliver advanced IMRT treatments within our standard 15 minutes treatments slots," he added. "With RapidArc, that will no longer be a problem as we will be able to offer advanced conformal treatments to more patients while reducing our treatment slot times."

source: Varian

New Study Questions True Favorability of Rare Breast Cancer Type

ScienceDaily (Dec. 12, 2009) — In a large review of breast cancer patients with mucinous carcinoma, researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have identified an association between this rare type of breast cancer long-associated with a favorable prognosis and multiple tumors undetected by mammography or ultrasound.

The study, presented December 12 at the CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, is the first to observe this negative association and should caution those caring for mucinous breast cancer patients that more, not less, therapy, as well as additional screening may be needed for a select group of these patients, said George Perkins, M.D., associate professor in M. D. Anderson Department of Radiation Oncology and the study's first author.

Mucinous breast cancer, also known as colloid carcinoma, is a rare type of invasive breast cancer formed by mucus-producing cancer cells. Perkins estimated that the disease accounts for approximately two percent of all breast cancers diagnosed. The prognosis for mucinous carcinoma is thought to be better than for the more common types of invasive breast cancers."

"While mucinous breast cancer is thought to be a disease with a favorable prognosis, our study is the first to identify it as one associated with significant multifocal presentation -- a potentially unfavorable aspect with a subtype long thought to be extremely favorable," said Perkins.

source: Science Daily Release

TomoTherapy Introduces Radiation Oncologist Training Program

MADISON, Wis – December 8, 2009 – TomoTherapy Incorporated (NASDAQ: TOMO) announced today that it has expanded its Institute of Learning curriculum to include a course for radiation oncologists. The course, which is being offered in partnership with Monmouth Medical Center of Long Branch, N.J., is designed to introduce physicians to the fundamentals of the TomoTherapy® platform and its use in a clinical setting.

The radiation oncologist course on TomoTherapy technology is collaboratively taught by physicians Mitchell Weiss, M.D., and Sang Sim, M.D., along with physicist Jack Yang, Ph.D., all of whom are members of Monmouth’s radiation oncology team and have been using TomoTherapy technology since 2008.

“Hosting this type of program allows us to share our TomoTherapy experience with others, so they can smoothly transition to the TomoTherapy platform,” said Dr. Weiss. “At the same time it allows for collaboration and for the opportunity to learn from each other.”

The new training course was piloted in November 2009 at Monmouth Medical Center. Four physicians from TomoTherapy treatment centers around the world attended the three-day course focused on peer-to-peer learning. According to James Coster, M.D., a radiation oncologist with US Oncology, Inc., affiliate Kansas City Cancer Center, the new program addresses an important need. “From expanding what I consider an appropriate range of applications to improving treatment planning strategies, the M.D. training course was extremely valuable to me as a new user,” said Dr. Coster. “Instruction like this should accelerate one’s ascent up the learning curve for this unique technology.”

source: TomoTherapy

Published Study Highlights Advantages of SAVI Breast Cancer Radiation Therapy

ALISO VIEJO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The SAVI™ applicator for breast brachytherapy is a safe, effective therapy for breast cancer, according to a newly published study in a peer-reviewed journal. The study showed that SAVI’s unique design provides fewer complications, excellent cosmetic results, outstanding dosimetry and increases the number of women eligible for breast brachytherapy.

The study was conducted by researchers at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center and published in the October-December 2009 issue of the prestigious Brachytherapy journal.

Researchers found that radiation exposure for healthy tissue was “exceedingly low” because of the multi-catheter design of SAVI. No serious complications were reported, including no symptomatic persistent seromas, no persistent edema or breast pain. There was one case of asymptomatic fat necrosis reported at the 18-month follow-up mammogram. There were no local recurrences of cancer.

The study was a retrospective review of the first 30 patients to receive treatment with SAVI at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center. The median follow-up for the subjects was 12 months.

“Great progress has been made in breast brachytherapy technology,” said lead author Catheryn Yashar, M.D. “With SAVI, we seem to have a device that overcomes some of the most significant drawbacks of other methods. The device’s versatility means that many more women can take advantage of the convenience of breast brachytherapy, and be confident in its safety and results.”

source: Business Wire

Polymer Therapeutic Protects Gut From Radiation Damage, Infection After Cancer Treatment

A non-absorbed, oral co-polymer therapy under development by Midway Pharmaceuticals demonstrated the ability to protect against damage to healthy gastrointestinal tissues and to prevent lethal bacterial infections in animal models of radiation damage. The results suggest the compound, a high molecular weight co-polymer of polyethylene glycol (PEG), may provide a new way to prevent serious GI side effects of radiation in patients receiving fractionated radiotherapy for abdominal cancers or in accidental exposures to harmful radiation.

The new results are published online and in the December issue of the American Journal of Physiology by John Alverdy, MD, Director, Center for Surgical Infection Research, University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine and colleagues at the University of Chicago, and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Surgical Service. Dr. Alverdy is a founder of Midway Pharmaceuticals, an emerging specialty pharmaceutical company that is developing the polymer commercially for GI diseases, cancer supportive care and other indications.

source: Medical News Today

Brain Tumor Cells Made More Responsive to Radiation

ScienceDaily (Dec. 3, 2009) — Duke University Medical Center researchers have figured out how stem cells in the malignant brain cancer glioma may be better able to resist radiation therapy. And using a drug to block a particular signaling pathway in these cancer stem cells, they were able to kill many more glioma cells with radiation in a laboratory experiment.

The work builds off earlier research which showed that cancer stem cells resist the effects of radiation much better than other cancer cells.

The Duke team identified a known signaling pathway called Notch as the probable reason for the improved resistance. Notch also operates in normal stem cells, where it is important for cell-cell communication that controls cell growth and differentiation processes. The study was published in late November by Stem Cells journal.

"This is the first report that Notch signaling in tumor tissue is related to the failure of radiation treatments," said lead author Jialiang Wang, Ph.D., a research associate in the Duke Division of Surgery Sciences and the Duke Translational Research Institute. "This makes the Notch pathway an attractive drug target. The right drug may be able to stop the real bad guys, the glioma stem cells."

source: Science Daily Release

Breast Cancer Campaign: Breast Cancer Research Funding to Establish Effectiveness of Radiotherapy

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Scientists are closer to discovering why some people respond to breast cancer radiotherapy better than others, according to Breast Cancer Campaign.

Dr Laura Smith, at the Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Leeds, has been awarded a pilot grant by Breast Cancer Campaign, to study why some types of breast cancers are difficult to destroy with radiotherapy.

The grant forms part of £2 million awarded to 20 projects in the UK and Ireland.

Previous research has shown that breast cancer cells which are difficult to destroy with radiotherapy contained reduced amounts of molecules called GRP78, PSMD9 and DARS.

Dr Smith and her team aim to find out what role these molecules play in preventing radiotherapy from working in breast cancer.

Dr Smith said, “We are grateful for this funding from Breast Cancer Campaign which we hope will lead to a way to predict how successful treatment will be in people with different types of breast cancer.”

Arlene Wilkie, Director of Research and Policy, Breast Cancer Campaign said, “This research could lead to a simple test to establish the effectiveness of radiotherapy prior to treatment. Radiotherapy is not suitable for everyone with breast cancer and this would ensure that only those who will benefit from the treatment will receive it.”
source: Business Wire

Rare Pancreatic Cancer Patients May Live Longer When Treated With Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is effective in achieving local control and palliation in patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNTs), despite such tumors being commonly considered resistant to radiation therapy, according to a largest of its kind study in the November 15 issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, the official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

PNT is a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that can stay confined to the liver and often cause death from liver damage. Since it is usually unable to be removed by surgery, external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is an attractive option for managing the disease, but the role of EBRT is largely unknown because of the low incidence of this tumor type and, as a result, very few related studies.

Researchers at the departments of radiation oncology and internal medicine, division of hematology/oncology and comprehensive cancer center biostatistics unit at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich., sought to determine if PNTs are not as resistant to radiation therapy as was previously thought.

source: ASTRO

Cancer Treatment Centers of America will be First in Country to Offer New Technology from Italy

Philadelphia, Pa. – A radiation breakthrough to treat breast cancer patients in one day, as opposed to the current average of six weeks, has arrived at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) in Philadelphia. CTCA will become the first in the country to offer this treatment option using the Novac7 technology from Rome, Italy.

Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT) technology allows patients to receive radiation treatment, delivered with the same power and precision as other advanced radiation techniques, while still in the operating room undergoing surgery, often without any additional outpatient radiation treatment visits, and with fewer side effects. IORT also offers patients better cosmetic results and improved quality of life as the need for additional radiation treatment is minimized or eliminated altogether.

“Women in Italy have had access to the therapeutic and quality of life benefits of IORT for years, but until this point, traditional breast cancer treatments in the United States involved surgery followed by 5-6 weeks of radiation or chemotherapy,” said Director of Radiation Oncology Pablo Lavagnini, MD. “Sadly many women don’t have access to radiation treatments and those who do are left struggling to juggle a demanding treatment regimen with work and family obligations at home. IORT offers a possible solution.”

source:Cancer Treatment Centers of Amwerica

Scientific Presentations at 2009 ASTRO Meeting Highlight RapidArc® Radiotherapy Technology from Varian Medical Systems

Chicago, IL — November 10, 2009 — Clinicians using RapidArc® radiotherapy technology for fast, precise, non-invasive cancer treatments have found that they are able to substantially reduce scatter dose to surrounding healthy tissues, according to several presentations and posters presented this week at the annual meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) in Chicago. With RapidArc, doctors were able to quickly administer image-guided radiotherapy or radiosurgery treatments using fewer monitor units, which translates to less total body irradiation during treatment. In addition, a number of planning studies documented the clinical advantages of RapidArc over other forms of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).

ASTRO is the largest association of radiation oncology professionals in the world, with 10,000 members, including radiation oncologists, radiation oncology nurses, medical physicists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and biologists. The 2009 meeting was held in Chicago, Illinois, from November 1-5.

source: Varian

Advances in Radiation Therapy Enable Doctors to Improve the Quality of Treatments for Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Clinical studies suggest that advanced treatments like intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) are enabling radiation oncologists to enhance post-treatment health-related quality of life for patients with head and neck cancer.

In an educational session for radiotherapy professionals, delivered by two noted experts during the annual meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) in Chicago last week, Avraham Eisbruch, M.D., professor at the University of Michigan, discussed how careful implementation of IMRT in the treatment of head and neck cancer can achieve high tumor control rates while minimizing xerostomia, a dry mouth condition that occurs when salivary glands are damaged.

Citing a new report summarizing results from RTOG 0022, a multi-institutional study comparing IMRT with earlier forms of treatment for head and neck cancer, Dr. Eisbruch said that IMRT for head and neck cancer achieved important goals in reducing treatment toxicity, notably xerostomia, and in yielding a high tumor control rate of 90%.(1)

For patients enrolled in the study and treated with IMRT, only 55% experienced Grade 2 or worse xerostomia at six months after treatment, as compared with 84% of patients treated with earlier forms of radiotherapy -- a reduction of 35%. For the IMRT group, the percentage of patients with Grade 2 or worse xerostomia decreased steadily, to 25% at 12 months and 16% at 24 months. "This kind of improvement over time is not something we had been seeing with conventional forms of radiotherapy,(2)" said Dr. Eisbruch, who served as chair of RTOG 0022.

source: PR Newswire

Researchers from UC Irvine Medical Center Find Clinical Advantages to Using RapidArc® Radiotherapy for the Stereotactic Treatment of Tumors

PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Researchers from the University of California, Irvine Medical Center reported last week that image-guided RapidArc® radiotherapy from Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) has clinical advantages over earlier fixed-beam approaches to stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) for treating cancer.

RapidArc, Varian's technology for delivering volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), enables clinicians to deliver a highly-precise image-guided intensity-modulated treatment quickly, often with just one revolution of the treatment machine around the patient.

"We found that we can deliver RapidArc treatments much more quickly, with an average of 76% less 'beam on' time, and also using 31% fewer monitor units, which could limit unintended and undesired radiation exposure to patients," said Daniel C. Schiffner, M.D., chief resident in the UCI Department of Radiation Oncology, in a presentation at the annual meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) in Chicago.(1)

"The reduction in monitor units is important because it limits the degree to which patients are exposed to radiation leakage from the treatment machine," he said. "In addition, less 'beam on' time improves our clinical workflow, improves patient comfort during treatment, and limits the potential for patient and organ motion during the treatment session, which can allow more accurate dose targeting."

source: Varian

Preventative Brain Radiation for Lung Cancer Patients

CHICAGO - A new study is taking a closer look at the benefits versus risks for lung cancer patients to undergo preventative brain radiation therapy as a means to stop cancer from spreading to the brain.

Study results show that while preventative brain radiation for patients with non-small cell lung cancer - the most common form of lung cancer - does reduce the chance of developing brain metastases, it impacts some short-term and long-term memory.

The study also reveals that preventative brain radiation does not increase survival and has no significant impact on quality of life, says study co-investigator Benjamin Movsas, M.D., chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

"These findings offer a more complete perspective regarding this intervention for patients with non-small cell lung cancer," Movsas says. "We now need to develop strategies to help shift the benefit-risk ratio for this treatment."

Dr. Movsas will present the study results Nov. 2 at the plenary session for the 51st annual American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) meeting. Out of nearly 1,000 abstracts submitted, only a handful of study abstracts, including the one from Henry Ford, were selected for the ASTRO plenary session.

source: Henry Ford Health System

Stereotactic radiotherapy offers noninvasive, effective treatment for frail patients with early-stage lung cancer

DALLAS — Nov. 2, 2009 — Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) should be considered a new standard of care for early-stage lung cancer treatment in patients with co-existing medical problems, according to results from a national clinical trial led by UT Southwestern Medical Center physicians.

In this study, 55 patients diagnosed with early non-small-cell lung (NSCL) cancer and unable to have their tumors surgically removed because of unrelated medical comorbidities were treated with SBRT during three noninvasive outpatient treatments.

The most recent findings, presented today in Chicago at the 51st annual meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, show that the primary lung cancer did not recur 98 percent of the time. Despite their extreme frailty, more than half of these patients — 56 percent — were alive three years after diagnosis, while less than 20 percent ultimately died of metastatic lung cancer.

“These findings have changed the standard of care for lung cancer in patients with serious medical problems like emphysema, heart disease and strokes,” said Dr. Robert Timmerman, vice chairman of radiation oncology at UT Southwestern and principal investigator of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 0236 study.

source: Southwestern Medical Center

Imaging Systems from GE Healthcare Spotlight the Possibilities of Connected Oncology Care at ASTRO 2009

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--According to the American Cancer Society, more than one million people are diagnosed with cancer each year. In the United States, about 1 out of every 2 men and 1 out of every 3 women will have some type of cancer at some point during their lifetime. The sooner a cancer is detected and treatment begins, the better the patient’s chances for survival.

The GE Healthcare business unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) will spotlight potential connections across the cancer care continuum at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) meeting in Chicago, Ill., Nov. 1-5, 2009. “Oncology care is about making connections,” said Paul Anderson, General Manager of Oncology for GE Healthcare. “It’s about making the connection between the disease, the treatment, the patients and the multi-disciplinary clinical team.”

Advances in radiotherapy treatments have required parallel advancements in imaging, providing oncology specialists with imaging technology that moves from basic qualitative information to deliver high-level quantitative patient data. These refinements have allowed oncologists to better target the therapies by connecting all components that are key to personalized patient cancer treatment. The multi-modality oncology suite connects care from pathways to simulate therapy delivery, to gauging the response to actual treatment, to monitoring its efficacy.

GE’s booth at ASTRO will spotlight the connections between disease and treatment, as well as between clinician and patient. At the same time, broader clinical connections that link patient information, department workflow and oncology management will be demonstrated.

source: GE Medical

ASTRO Presentations Highlight Role of TomoTherapy® in Combined Modality Approach to Treating Cancer

MADISON, Wis – TomoTherapy Incorporated (NASDAQ: TOMO) announced today that several clinical presentations at the American Society for Radiation Oncology’s 51st ASTRO Annual Meeting – November 1-5, 2009 in Chicago – will showcase the use of the TomoTherapy® radiation therapy platform as a vital component in the combined modality approach to treating cancer. Additionally, other presentations will explore how TomoTherapy technology is being employed to treat a growing array of challenging indications.

The TomoTherapy Hi·Art® treatment system is a CT scanner-based device that integrates image guidance and helical radiation therapy delivery for increased accuracy and enhanced tumor targeting. There are more than 250 Hi·Art systems in use around the world. More than 45 presentations will be made at ASTRO, detailing how TomoTherapy technology is helping cancer centers around the world improve cancer care through daily imaging and more precise delivery of radiation to targets throughout the body.

Some of the most compelling presentations focus on how the TomoTherapy Hi·Art system has been used to increase dosage to tumors while minimizing toxicity to patients. As a result, the TomoTherapy system is establishing itself as an effective radiation therapy solution for clinicians seeking to explore a combined modality approach that more effectively treats cancer by combining radiotherapy with chemotherapy and/or surgery.

surce: TomoTherapy

Strategy Sensitizes Tumors while Protecting Normal Tissues in Mice from Radiation Damage

Researchers at NCI and other institutes have developed a method that protects healthy tissues from the damaging effects of radiation treatment, while at the same time delaying tumor growth. Radiation is part of the treatment plan for over half of all cancers, but the risk of damage to healthy tissues limits the dose that can be delivered to tumors. The research team's findings may eventually allow for more aggressive radiation therapies for the treatment of cancer and lead to enhanced treatment responses.

Radiation damages DNA and some large molecules in cells and elicits stress responses that lead to cell death. Thrombospondin-1, a protein that is produced by a variety of cell types, has been shown to limit cell recovery from several types of stress via signaling through its receptor, CD47. Previous research has demonstrated that mice lacking thrombospondin-1 or CD47 are resistant to radiation damage. In the new study, the researchers showed that blocking the interactions of thrombospondin-1 and CD47 conferred protection from radiation damage to human cells and to normal tissues in mice. The team injected an agent that targets CD47 into one hind leg of mice that then received radiation therapy directed to the treated leg. They found that temporary suppression of CD47 expression protected the skin, muscle, and bone marrow from damage by radiation. The team next administered the CD47-targeting agent to tumor-bearing mice and followed tumor growth rates after radiation therapy. Blocking CD47 expression increased the sensitivity of tumor cells to radiation. The researchers observed that mice with melanoma tumors and lung tumors had 89 percent and 71 percent smaller tumors respectively compared to mice that did not receive the agent prior to radiation therapy. The study appeared online October 21, 2009, in Science Translational Medicine.

source: National Cancer Institute press release

After Brain Radiation Exercise Can Aid Recovery

Exercise is a key factor in improving both memory and mood after whole-brain radiation treatments in rodents, according to data presented by Duke University scientists at the Society for Neuroscience meeting.

"This is the first demonstration that exercise can prevent a decline in memory after whole-brain radiation treatment," said lead researcher and graduate student Sarah Wong-Goodrich of the Duke Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. Whole-brain radiation is sometimes used to treat brain cancers in humans.

"We found that exercise following radiation prevented a decline in erasable memory in mice and this is analogous to the type of memory problems people have after whole-brain radiation for brain tumors," said senior researcher Christina Williams, Ph.D., professor of psychology and neuroscience. "This is the type of short-term memory people use to find their car after they have parked it in a large lot. After radiation, this type of memory becomes impaired in many people."

source: Medical News Today

Identification Of Highly Radiosensitive Patients May Lead To Side Effect-free Radiotherapy

An international group of scientists has taken the first step on the road to targeting radiotherapy dosage to individual patients by means of their genetic characteristics, a radiation oncologist told Europe's largest cancer congress, ECCO 15 - ESMO 34 [1], in Berlin. Professor Dirk de Ruysscher, from Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands, said that his team's work might provide the basis for personalised radiotherapy in which, with a simple blood test, doctors may be able to select the optimal radiation dose for a particular patient.

The team of scientists from The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Canada studied a group of patients with hypersensitivity to radiation therapy, drawn from the largest world-wide database available - the European Union-funded Genetic pathways for the prediction of the effect of irradiation (GENEPI) study, which integrates biological material with patient data and treatment specifications. The database included information from more than 8000 European patients.

“Part of this project is the establishment of a sub-database in which very rare patient characteristics are brought together with the hypothesis that their genetic traits will enable the characterisation of molecular pathways related to radio-sensitivity,” explained Professor de Ruysscher. “A major problem for radiation oncologists at present is that we are bound by the need to avoid damage to normal tissues. This means that the dose of radiation generally used is governed by the response of the most radiosensitive patients, and this may lead to many patients receiving lower than optimal doses, hence affecting the ability to deliver a higher dose that may result in better local tumour control.”

source: European CanCer Organization

For Brain Metastases, Whole-Brain Radiotherapy After Surgery Or Radiosurgery Not Recommended

Whole-brain radiotherapy should not be given routinely to all patients whose cancer has spread to the brain, say researchers who found that using it after surgery or radiosurgery in patients with a limited number of brain metastases and stable cancer in the rest of the body did not extend lives or help patients remain functionally independent for longer.

In the largest study to date on the issue, scientists reported at Europe's largest cancer congress, ECCO 15 - ESMO 34 [1], in Berlin (Tuesday 22 September) that while the technique did extend the length of time before the cancer got worse and reduced the risk of brain-related deaths, it failed to prolong overall survival or the length of time that patients were able to remain independent in critical functions such as walking, thinking and eating.

source: Medical News Today

Brachytherapy, External Beam Radiation Therapy, and Androgen Suppression Improve Survival of Men with High-risk Prostate Cancer

Researchers from the Dana Farber Cancer Center have reported that men with high-risk prostate cancer receiving brachytherapy have improved survival with added external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and androgen suppression therapy (AST). The details of this study appeared in the August 20, 2009 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.[1]

Patients with locally advanced high-risk prostate cancer are often treated with hormone therapy alone or with radiation plus hormonal therapy. Most recent studies have shown that patients with locally advanced prostate cancer have better outcomes when receiving combination therapy. Researchers from Sweden have recently reported that combined EBRT and hormonal therapy reduces deaths by 50% compared with hormonal therapy alone for treatment of locally advanced or high-risk prostate cancer. Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute have reported that the addition of six months of AST to EBRT improves the outcomes of men with localized prostate cancer with unfavorable features who had no or minimal comorbidity.

An alternative approach is to administer brachytherapy and EBRT. Researchers from the Seattle Prostate Cancer Institute have reported that the combination of brachytherapy plus EBRT provides low rates of cancer recurrences at 15 years following treatment for early (T1-3) prostate cancer.

source: Cancer Consultants

DOR BioPharma Announces NIH Grant Award to Support Phase 1/2 Clinical Trial of DOR201 in Radiation Enteritis

PRINCETON, N.J., Sept. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- DOR BioPharma, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: DORB) (DOR or the Company), a late-stage biotechnology company, announced today that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded DOR a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to support the conduct of a Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating DOR201, a time-release formulation of oral beclomethasone dipropionate (oral BDP), for the prevention of acute radiation enteritis. The award will provide DOR with approximately $500,000 over a two-year period.

The grant application included the Phase 1/2 protocol BDP-ENT-01, which is designed as a multicenter, open-label, sequential, dose-escalation study in approximately 36 patients. Patients with rectal cancer who are scheduled to undergo concurrent radiation and chemotherapy prior to surgery will be enrolled in four dose groups. The objectives of the study are to evaluate the safety and maximal tolerated dose of escalating doses of DOR201, as well as the preliminary efficacy of DOR201 for prevention of signs and symptoms of acute radiation enteritis. The study is expected to be initiated in 2009.

Acute radiation enteritis is caused by radiation-induced death of cells in the lining of the bowel. As bowel cells die and are not replaced, gastrointestinal toxicity develops over the next few days and weeks due to an inflammatory response to dead cells and bacteria, with chronic diarrhea, vomiting and pain being the major symptoms. The addition of chemotherapy often exacerbates the onset, severity and debilitation related to intestinal symptoms. Radiation enteritis often results in delay or interruption of the cancer treatment.

source: PR Newswire

FDA Clears Hologic's MammoSite® ML Radiation Therapy System For The Treatment Of Early-Stage Breast Cancer

Hologic, Inc. (Hologic or the Company) (Nasdaq: HOLX), a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostics, medical imaging systems and surgical products dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women, today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared the Company's 510K application for the MammoSite((R)) ML radiation therapy system. With its multi-lumen design, this new device gives radiation oncologists the ability to shape the radiation dose for typical cases and treat patients who are otherwise not appropriate candidates for traditional brachytherapy.

Hologic's MammoSite therapy system, first cleared by the FDA in 2002 as a single-lumen device, is the most widely used form of accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) in the United States. It has been used to treat more than 50,000 breast cancer patients in the U.S.

By employing the MammoSite system, the physician can deliver targeted radiation therapy directly to the area where cancer is most likely to recur,(i) allowing a full course of radiation to be delivered in just five days. Additionally, targeted therapy of the breast limits radiation exposure to normal, healthy tissue. This targeting helps minimize side effects such as skin discoloration and scarring, burning, fatigue, and damage to surrounding organs.

source: Hologic

Varian Medical Systems Adds RapidArc® and Image Guidance to New Low Energy Treatment Platform for Radiation Therapy in International Cancer Clinics

MAASTRICHT, The Netherlands, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) is introducing the world's first low-energy radiotherapy system with image-guidance and RapidArc treatment capabilities for international cancer clinics. Varian's UNIQUE™ radiotherapy system is expected to make advanced care more affordable and more widely available to cancer patients around the world.

"This package is truly a unique offering for international markets," says Dow Wilson, president of Varian's Oncology Systems business. "We have added high-tech image-guidance and arc therapy tools to a low energy platform together with our treatment planning and information management software so that technology for fast, state-of-the-art cancer treatments can be made available to treatment centers at a cost under $2 million. It's in keeping with our mission to save more lives by making proven advanced radiotherapy technology available to people who currently do not have access to it."

The UNIQUE Performance Edition incorporates all the tools needed to easily establish or enhance a clinically effective radiotherapy treatment operation. The UNIQUE* platform's low energy medical linear accelerator incorporates Varian's proven technologies for reliable and consistent dose control, delivery, and beam shaping, into an elegant machine with patient friendly design that is small enough to fit into almost all existing treatment bunkers.

source: Varian Medical Systems

Radiation Therapy May Increase Diabetes Risk In Childhood Cancer Survivors

Childhood cancer survivors treated with total body or abdominal radiation may have an increased risk of diabetes, according to a report in the August 10/24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. This correlation does not appear to be related to patients' body mass index or physical inactivity.

"As a result of their curative therapies, childhood cancer survivors face an increased risk of morbidity and mortality," with almost 75 percent of survivors developing a chronic health condition and 42.4 percent developing a severe, disabling or life-threatening condition 30 years after diagnosis, according to background information in the article. Cardiovascular disease, in particular, is a significant cause of deaths in this group. "In the general population, diabetes mellitus is strongly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause death."

source: Medical News Today

Patients With Common Brain Tumours May Have Poorer Cognitive Function After Receiving Radiotherapy

An article published Online first and in an upcoming edition of The Lancet Neurology reports that although low doses of radiotherapy are considered as safe; they may contribute to progressive cognitive decline in patients with low-grade glioma brain tumours.

The most common type of brain cancer is Low-grade glioma (LGG) brain tumour. Early or delayed radiotherapy is the most frequent treatment. But still, there are many questions about the best treatment approach. Over time radiotherapy can cause damage to the brain. Since the average survival time for patients with LGG is ten years, these patients are at significant risk of developing late or delayed radiation injuries.

source: Medical News Today

First Customer Installs CyberKnife System in Existing Radiation Therapy Vault

SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Accuray Incorporated (Nasdaq: ARAY), a global leader in the field of radiosurgery, announced today that CyberKnife Center of Chicago at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital in Elmhurst, Ill., has installed the CyberKnife((R)) Robotic Radiosurgery System in one of the hospital's existing radiation therapy vaults. This marks the first installation of this new CyberKnife configuration option, which can save hospitals both time and money.

"We are excited about the new CyberKnife configuration and its ability to fit into an existing vault, because it requires significantly less modification and has allowed us to get the System up and running more quickly so we can begin treating patients," said Greg Spurlock, chief operating officer of US Radiosurgery, the managing partner of CyberKnife Center of Chicago.

Because radiation therapy systems are gantry-based machines, meaning they only rotate in a single rotational plane, radiation therapy vaults are typically smaller and require less shielding than a standard CyberKnife vault. Since a key factor in the CyberKnife System's precise treatment delivery is its ability to move in virtually any direction, it wasn't previously possible to install a CyberKnife System within a radiation therapy vault. Recognizing that this was an obstacle for many hospitals, Accuray used advanced optimization techniques to reconfigure a new layout that made this type of installation possible with minimal-to-no additional shielding.

source: PR Newswire

Hybrid Linac-MRI System: New Medical Imaging Combines Medical Linear Accelerators And Magnetic Resonance Imagers

ScienceDaily (July 30, 2009) — Canadian scientists at the University of Alberta's Cross Cancer Institute are developing a new technology that integrates two existing medical devices -- medical linear accelerators, or "linacs," which produce powerful X-rays for treating cancer, and magnetic resonance imagers (MRIs), which are widely used to image tumors in the human body.

The proposed hybrid Linac-MR system promises to help doctors treat certain types of cancer by allowing them to accurately monitor moving tumors in people's lungs and other soft tissues such as the liver or prostate in real time while the radiation treatment is ongoing. Though the new technology is not yet available in the clinic, the Canadian scientists have now demonstrated its feasibility for the near future.

In related research, a group from Stanford University is determining the specifications for how the new technology can be used. Both groups will discuss their latest findings at the 51st meeting of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), which takes place from July 26 - 30, 2009 in Anaheim, California.

source: Science Daily Press`Release

Varian Medical Systems Receives 510(k) Clearance for Fast and Accurate Acuros™ Radiotherapy Treatment Planning Capability

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., July 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) today announced that it has received FDA 510(k) clearance for the Acuros™ capability offered initially in its brachytherapy treatment planning system. The Acuros clearance was awarded as part of the market-leading Eclipse™ treatment planning system.

BrachyVision™ Acuros, recently introduced at the American Brachytherapy Society meeting in Toronto, Canada, enables superior dose calculation at unmatched speed. The system enables clinicians to rapidly calculate patient dose with an extremely high level of accuracy*.

"BrachyVision Acuros calculation times tend to average between three and eight minutes depending on the applicator used," says Hosea Mitchell, head of Varian's brachytherapy business unit. "By comparison, the same calculations could take hours or days using the standard Monte Carlo method."

source: Varian Medical Systems

ASTRO issues consensus statement on using APBI to treat breast cancer

Fairfax, Va., July 15, 2009 – The American Society for Radiation Oncology has published a consensus statement outlining patient selection criteria and best practices for the use of accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) outside the context of a clinical trial in the July 15 issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of ASTRO.

For decades, whole-breast irradiation (WBI), where radiation is delivered to the whole breast every day for five to eight weeks, has been the standard treatment for patients with early breast cancer treated with breast conserving surgery. WBI has been shown to reduce the risk of recurrence in the affected breast and
increase the likelihood of long-term survival. However, recently there has been growing interest in using APBI, where radiation is used to treat only the part of the breast affected by cancer and the treatment time is decreased from several weeks to four or five days.

APBI has several benefits, including a decreased overall treatment time and a decrease in the radiation delivered to healthy tissue and adjacent organs, but its long-term safety and effectiveness compared to WBI are not yet known and results of randomized trials comparing APBI with WBI will not be available for many years. In the meantime, guidance for use of APBI outside of a clinical trial is needed.

source: ASTRO

Varian Medical Systems Acquires Assets of IKOEmed and IKOEtech; Acquisition to Add Software for Accelerating Radiotherapy Treatment Planning

PALO ALTO, Calif., June 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Varian Medical Systems, Inc., (NYSE: VAR) today announced it has acquired the assets of Houston-based IKOEmed and IKOEtech, privately-owned suppliers of software used in the planning of radiotherapy and radiosurgery treatments. The acquisition enables Varian to offer hospitals and clinics an additional software tool to automate and accelerate the most time-consuming portion of the treatment planning process. Varian is paying approximately $2.2 million plus an additional amount based on achievement of specified milestones to acquire the IKOE assets.

The software is designed to achieve greater than 50 percent reduction in the contouring portion of the radiotherapy treatment planning process, which typically takes anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours. It automates the contouring process by matching patient images with pre-contoured images from an expert database created by renowned radiation oncologists. This eliminates the need for clinicians to manually outline between 10 and 20 organs in each of anywhere from 100 to 200 images of a patient's disease site.

source: Varian

Children With Leukemia May Not Need Radiation

Wired PR News – Radiation therapy may not be needed for some children with leukemia. As reported by HealthDay News, a new study suggests that chemotherapy administered alone may lead to longer periods of remission and fewer negative side effects for some children with the disease.

Dr. Ching-Hon Pui, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital oncology chairman and author of the study, is quoted in the report as stating of the findings, “Effective chemotherapy can cure up to 90 percent of all children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia without the use of cranial irradiation… Survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia can now enjoy excellent quality of life, virtually similar to that of the general population.”

More about the study may be found in the June 25th New England Journal of Medicine issue.

source: Wired PR News

Elekta Provides VMAT and Radiosurgery Solutions for New Jersey Health System

CentraState Medical Center (Freehold, New Jersey) has purchased two new state-of-the-art Elekta radiation therapy treatment systems, both with Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT). The first site in the world to have both Elekta Axesse and Elekta Infinity, CentraState will offer the most advanced cancer care available to its patients.

CentraState Medical Center, a part of the CentraState Healthcare System, currently is treating 45 to 50 patients a day – with fluctuations as high as 70 patients per day, all on one treatment unit. When the time came to add another treatment system, CentraState elected to replace another manufacturer’s system and install two new Elekta systems.

Jan Dragotta, Clinical Director, Radiation Oncology, says the decision process took several months and involved a team of CentraState physicians, physicists and administrators.

“In order to determine which technologies, both standard and emerging, had the most value, we completed a complex analysis to determine our current market and potential for growth,” she said. “We all felt radiosurgery and motion management were the areas we wanted to grow, and that was supported by The Advisory Board Company in Washington D.C., which projected that, in the next 10 years, the biggest growth in cancer treatment will occur in radiosurgery.”

source: Elekta

University of Kentucky Brings TomoTherapy Treatment Technology to Brain & Body Radiosurgery Program

MADISON, Wis – June 2, 2009 – TomoTherapy Incorporated (NASDAQ: TOMO) announced today that the University of Kentucky (UK) Chandler Medical Center’s Markey Cancer Center has commenced treating patients with the TomoTherapy® Hi·Art® treatment system, a versatile, CT scanner-based device, which integrates image guidance for increased treatment accuracy and helical radiation therapy delivery for enhanced tumor targeting. The Hi·Art treatment system was selected after a thorough review of technologies and will be extensively utilized in the Markey Cancer Center’s stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) efforts, as part of its new Brain and Body Radiosurgery Program.

Marcus E. Randall, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Radiation Medicine at the UK College of Medicine, serves as director of the Brain and Body Radiosurgery Program. According to Dr. Randall, TomoTherapy technology was a natural choice.

“We were looking for a platform that would permit exceptionally accurate treatments while allowing for reasonable throughput of patients,” said Dr. Randall. “We considered all our options, including RapidArc™ and Cyberknife®, but we felt that the dose distributions from TomoTherapy were consistently superior to other platforms. The ability to do imaging at the time of treatment was also a unique advantage, so the decision actually became pretty simple.”

source: TomoTherapy

Radiation Therapy Staffing Rates Remain Stable

Staffing rates for radiation therapy facilities have remained relatively stable within the past two years, according to the 2009 ASRT Radiation Therapy Staffing Survey.

The survey focused on medical facilities that employ full-time radiation therapists. Facilities with a 2009 budget for radiation therapists reported having 4.97 full-time therapists on staff, down only slightly when compared to the 2007 survey, which reported 5.20 full-time therapists.

"It is very interesting to see that despite the downturn in the economy, the number of open full-time employee positions for therapists and dosimetrists has remained relatively steady over the past two years," said Myke Kudlas, ASRT's vice president of education and research. "This may represent regional differences in demand, a trend we have seen in many imaging specialties."

The survey also showed the vacancy rate for radiation therapists has slightly increased to 7.6 percent from 5.4 percent in 2007.

source: ASRT

Short-course radiotherapy effective for painful vertebral bone metastases

Philadelphia, Penn. – A single high dose of radiotherapy is as effective in relieving the pain from vertebral bone metastases as 10 smaller treatments, according to new research from the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) that will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in Orlando on May 31, 2009. RTOG, an NCI-funded national clinical trials group, is a clinical research component of the American College of Radiology.

RTOG researchers previously reported that breast and prostate cancer patients with painful bone metastases who received a single radiotherapy treatment of 8 Gy had the same pain relief and narcotic use three months after treatment as patients who received 10 radiotherapy treatments each consisting of 2 Gy for a total of 30 Gy. They also found that patients who received the 8 Gy regimen reported fewer side effects, although those patients did have to be retreated more often than patients who received the higher dose.

source: University of Michigan Health System

Novel Targeted Radiation Therapy From Immunomedics Produces Objective Responses in Pancreatic Cancer

ORLANDO, Fla., May 31, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immunomedics, Inc. (Nasdaq:IMMU), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing monoclonal antibodies to treat cancer and other serious diseases, today reported a 30% objective response rate in 10 evaluable patients with inoperable, advanced pancreatic cancer treated with a novel targeted radiation therapy developed by the Company in combination with gemcitabine. Interim results from the ongoing Phase Ib dose-escalation study were presented at the 2009 Annual Meeting of American Society of Clinical Oncology.

"Targeted radiation therapy is well suited for solid cancers, such as pancreatic cancer, and our data, though limited, corroborate this notion," remarked Cynthia L. Sullivan, President and CEO. "In light of the fact that there aren't many viable treatment options for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, we believe clivatuzumab tetraxetan labeled with yttrium-90 is in a good position to become the first radioimmunotherapeutic agent for pancreatic cancer therapy, and we currently intend to develop it through commercialization on our own," continued Ms. Sullivan.

source: GlobeNewswire

Varian Medical Systems Introduces Fast and Precise Brachytherapy Planning System at GEC-ESTRO in Portugal

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., May 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A significantly more accurate* way of calculating the dosimetry of cancer treatments will be introduced by Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) at the GEC-ESTRO exhibition in Porto, Portgual, on May 14-16. BrachyVision™ Acuros™ enables clinicians to rapidly calculate patient doses for brachytherapy treatments (a form of radiotherapy) with an extremely high level of accuracy.

"This is a quantum leap forward in terms of accuracy with timeframes that were previously thought unimaginable," says Sophie Wetherall, Varian BrachyTherapy software product manager. "BrachyVision Acuros offers an improvement in dose calculation that will help clinicians make better decisions about dose to their patients and further their knowledge to make treatments more accurate."

Dose levels for brachytherapy have generally been calculated as if the sources are surrounded by water, whereas in reality a patient's anatomy contains many different materials such as bone, lung, tissue and air, as well as additional materials that are often present from inserted applicators. In the past the only way to account for this was using Monte Carlo calculation techniques, something that was only available as a research tool. Now, for the first time in routine clinical brachytherapy, BrachyVision Acuros is able to account for the dose effects from these variations.

source: Varian Medical Systems

Local Breast Surgeon And Radiation Oncologists Offer New Device That Tracks Radiation

A new sensor device allowing doctors to receive data on the precise amount of radiation being delivered to tumors and surrounding tissue is now being offered at Maury regional Medical Cancer Center. Maury Regional Medical Center is the first in Tennessee to use the technology called DVS® (Dose Verification System) for breast cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment.

John P. W. Brown, M.D., surgeon, inserts a device that is as small as the length of a dime and can be inserted inside the patient's tumor bed in less than 15 minutes. After each radiation treatment, the DVS® provides the radiation oncologists (Dr. Michael Sattasiri and Dr. Joel Kochanski) with a measurement of the actual amount of radiation hitting the target where the malignant tumor was removed. This allows Dr. Sattasiri and Dr. Kochanski to make any necessary adjustments to the prescribed dose during the radiation therapy treatment course, making it more precise. The DVS® sensor wirelessly transmits data to the physician immediately following each radiation treatment.

source: Medical News Today

Varian Medical Systems Introduces Fast and Precise Brachytherapy Planning System at GEC-ESTRO in Portugal

BrachyVision Acuros Enables Superior Dose Calculation with Unmatched Speed

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., May 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A significantly more accurate* way of calculating the dosimetry of cancer treatments will be introduced by Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) at the GEC-ESTRO exhibition in Porto, Portgual, on May 14-16. BrachyVision™ Acuros™ enables clinicians to rapidly calculate patient doses for brachytherapy treatments (a form of radiotherapy) with an extremely high level of accuracy.

"This is a quantum leap forward in terms of accuracy with timeframes that were previously thought unimaginable," says Sophie Wetherall, Varian BrachyTherapy software product manager. "BrachyVision Acuros offers an improvement in dose calculation that will help clinicians make better decisions about dose to their patients and further their knowledge to make treatments more accurate."

source: Varian

Lithium May Help Radiation Target Cancer, Spare Healthy Tissue

Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center investigators have uncovered a mechanism that helps explain how lithium, a drug widely used to treat bipolar mood disorder, also protects the brain from damage that occurs during radiation treatments.

In the May 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Fen Xia, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues show that lithium promotes DNA repair in healthy cells but not in brain tumor cells. The findings suggest that lithium treatment could offer a way to protect healthy brain tissue from damage that may occur during cranial radiation treatments.

Cranial irradiation is part of standard therapy for both primary and metastatic brain tumors. However, as with all treatment modalities, radiation often causes long-term side effects. In particular, neurological impairments – including lowered IQ, learning difficulties and memory loss – have been reported, especially in children treated for brain cancers. Radiation-induced damage to the healthy cells of the hippocampus, a brain structure crucial for learning and memory, is one likely source of these deficits.

source: Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

International Atomic Energy Agency Challenges Radiotherapy Industry To Produce Cheaper Equipment

The International Atomic Energy Agency today issued a challenge to medical equipment manufacturers, calling for the development of cancer therapy equipment that is robust, portable, easy to use and more affordable.

"Making radiotherapy accessible is a key component in any comprehensive cancer control programme - to make this a reality, it would be heartening to see the development of sturdier and lighter equipment that can be used not only in hospitals in large urban centres, but also in resource-poor settings in the field, for example," said Werner Burkart, IAEA Deputy Director General for the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications.

source: Medical News Today

Complications Reduced In Early Stage Breast Cancer Patients By Radiation Device

A new study shows that the SAVI™ applicator, a small, expandable device inserted inside the breast to deliver partial breast irradiation, carries a low infection risk, a potential complication of such devices. The research, led by radiation oncologists and surgeons at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center and Fort Myers, Florida-based 21st Century Oncology, also indicates that other complications - such as seromas, pockets of fluid that build with the use of internal radiation devices - are unlikely to occur.

That's good news for those women with early-stage breast cancer who opt to have such devices inserted for their radiation therapy after breast-sparing lumpectomy surgery, said Cate Yashar, MD, associate professor of radiation oncology at the UC San Diego School of Medicine and chief of breast and gynecological radiation services at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center. Their use is increasing, she added, noting that the Moores UCSD Cancer Center was one of the first medical facilities in the country to offer SAVI.

source: Medical News Today

Varian RapidArc Technology Used with Novalis Tx System for First Time Outside U.S. to Treat Head and Neck Cancer Patient

BERN, Switzerland, April 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A 51-year old female cancer patient from Switzerland has become the first patient outside the U.S. to be treated with RapidArc™ radiotherapy technology from Varian Medical Systems on a Novalis Tx™ platform for radiosurgery and radiotherapy.

Doctors at Inselspital, the Bern University Hospital, used the Novalis Tx platform from Varian and BrainLAB to treat a patient suffering simultaneous skin cancer of the nose and an aggressive nasopharyngeal cancer with image-guided IMRT (intensity modulated radiotherapy). The treatment was 'very satisfactory' and compared favourably with conventional treatment techniques, according to Professor Daniel M. Aebersold, chairman of radiation oncology, who said the patient is responding well to the treatment.

Rather than targeting tumors with radiation beams from fixed angles, the Novalis Tx unit with RapidArc capability rotates continuously around the patient performing radiotherapy or radiosurgery several times faster than is possible with conventional techniques.

source: Varian

Brochure Explains Radiation Therapy Treatments For Colon, Rectum, Anus Cancers

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has published a new patient brochure, Radiation Therapy for Cancers of the Colon, Rectum and Anus.

This year, 108,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colon cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Another 41,000 men and women will be diagnosed with rectal cancer. About 5,000 people will learn they have anal cancer.

Radiation therapy is often used in conjunction with surgery and chemotherapy to treat these cancers. The radiation oncologists at ASTRO have written a two-page color brochure to help patients and their families understand how radiation therapy works to cure colon, rectal and anal cancers, often while preserving patients' abilities to retain normal bowel and urinary functions.

"Coping with a diagnosis of colon, rectal or anal cancer can be very scary, especially at first. Recognizing this, ASTRO created its brochures to help educate patients on the lifesaving benefits of radiation therapy and what they can expect during treatments," said Gregory Patton, M.D., chair of ASTRO's Communications Committee and a radiation oncologist at Northwest Cancer Specialists, P.C., in Portland, Ore.

source: ASTRO

Encouraging Results Published on Use of TomoTherapy in Lung Cancer Treatment

MADISON, Wis. – April 9, 2009 – TomoTherapy Incorporated (NASDAQ: TOMO) today cited recently published encouraging preliminary results of an ongoing Phase I clinical trial on the use of intensity-modulated (IMRT) and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) focusing on the concept of accelerated hypofractionation to overcome tumor repopulation, one of the well-known mechanisms of radiation resistance, using TomoTherapySM for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The paper, published in Technology in Cancer Research and Treatment (Technol Cancer Res Treat. 2008 Dec;7(6):441-8.) titled, “Dose Escalated, Hypofractionated Radiotherapy Using Helical Tomotherapy for Inoperable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Preliminary Results of a Risk-Stratified Phase I Dose Escalation Study,” evaluates a study devised to test the safety of escalating the biologically-effective tumor dose via hypofractionated treatment regimens using 25 fractions over five weeks. Traditionally, radiotherapy is delivered over six to seven weeks, or even longer (sometimes up to 10-11 weeks) if dose-escalation is the goal. A downside to dose escalation in this manner is that tumor repopulation occurs during the prolonged delivery time. Shorter dose-escalated schedules have historically been avoided because of the expectation of severe toxicities. The University of Wisconsin (UW) School of Medicine and Public Health investigators hypothesized that the conformal dose-delivery abilities of TomoTherapy, with helical IMRT and IGRT, would permit safe dose-escalation with shorter schedules, thereby limiting accelerated repopulation, and possibly improving tumor control.

source: Tomotherapy

High Dose Radiation Improves Lung Cancer Survival, U-M Study Finds

Higher doses of radiation combined with chemotherapy improve survival in patients with stage III lung cancer, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Standard treatment for this stage of lung cancer -- when the tumor is likely too large to be removed through surgery -- involves a combination of radiation therapy with chemotherapy. But, this new study finds, giving chemotherapy at the same time as the radiation enhances the effect of both. Further, increasing the dose of radiation over the course of treatment also increased survival.

source: Medical News Today

Radiation Oncologist Leads National Study Of Advanced Radiation Technique For Soft Tissue Cancers

A multicenter national research study to evaluate use of presurgical, image-guided radiation therapy for soft tissue sarcomas, a type of cancerous tumor, is being led by Dian Wang, M.D., Ph.D., a Medical College of Wisconsin radiation oncologist at Froedtert Hospital.

This Radiation Therapy Oncology Group study will enroll approximately 102 adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of soft tissue sarcoma of the arm or leg. Half of these participants will receive presurgical chemotherapy in addition to image-guided radiation therapy, based on an individual, preliminary decision made with their physician.

source: Medical News Today

Some Radiation Therapy Treatments Can Decrease Fertility

ScienceDaily (Apr. 1, 2009) — In female cancer patients of reproductive age, radiation treatment directly to the ovaries should be avoided because there is a direct relationship between certain types of radiation therapy and fertility problems, according to a review in the April 1 issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

Radiation therapy to the pelvic region can cause ovarian failure or result in damage that makes the uterus unable to accommodate the growth of a fetus. These effects are not a great concern to cancer patients past their reproductive years, but due to the growing number of pediatric and young-adult cancer survivors, these effects are increasingly relevant.

source; Science Daily

Early Results Favorable For 5-day Radiation Treatment Of Early Stage Prostate Cancer

Fairfax, Va., March 16, 2009 – Preliminary results show that a shortened course
of radiation therapy for prostate cancer called stereotactic body radiation therapy
(SBRT) provides good PSA response for early-stageprostate cancer and has
the same side effects as other treatments, according to a March 15 study in the
International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal
of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). Study authors caution
that further follow-up will be necessary to establish that SBRT is as effective in
the long term as other proven treatments.

Radiation therapy is an effective way to treat localized prostate cancer. Proven
successful treatments include brachytherapy (seed implants) where radiation
sources are placed directly into the prostate and external beam radiation therapy
where doctors give small daily doses of radiation to the prostate,
five days a week, for eight weeks to give enough radiation to kill the cancer
cells while sparing nearby healthy tissue.

source: ASTRO

Varian Medical Systems to Exhibit Cancer Treatment and X-ray Imaging Technologies at China Med Exhibition

BEIJING, March 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Varian Medical Systems, Inc. (NYSE: VAR) will showcase the full spectrum of the company's cancer treatment and X-ray imaging products, including some made available for the first time in China, at the upcoming China Med 21st International Medical Instruments and Equipment Exhibition in Beijing from March 19-21.

Varian will exhibit:

* The Clinac iX medical linear accelerator, a radiation therapy machine that was introduced into China last year. This treatment machine incorporates a three-dimensional X-ray imager to improve tumor targeting. It can also be upgraded to deliver RapidArc(TM) radiotherapy, which enables doctors to deliver highly-precise image-guided radiotherapy treatments two to eight times faster than was previously possible.
* Varian's market-leading medical software products, including Eclipse(TM) radiotherapy treatment planning software and ARIA(R) cancer treatment management software.
* The GammaMedplus(TM) afterloader, a machine for delivering brachytherapy, which is a way of treating cancer by placing tiny radiation sources directly into a targeted tumor.

source: Varian

Early Results Favorable For Five-Day Radiation Treatment Of Early-Stage Prostate Cancer

Preliminary results show that a shortened course of radiation therapy for prostate cancer called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) provides good PSA response for early-stage prostate cancer and has the same side effects as other treatments, according to a March 15 study in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology * Biology * Physics, the official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). Study authors caution that further follow-up will be necessary to establish that SBRT is as effective in the long term as other proven treatments.

Radiation therapy is an effective way to treat localized prostate cancer. Proven successful treatments include brachytherapy (seed implants) where radiation sources are placed directly into the prostate and external beam radiation therapy where doctors give small daily doses of radiation to the prostate, five days a week, for eight weeks to give enough radiation to kill the cancer cells while sparing nearby healthy tissue.

source: ASTRO

ASTRO's Patient Education Program Wins National Award

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has been selected as one of only 21 organizations nationwide to receive an Award of Excellence in the first round of the 2009 Associations Advance America (AAA) Awards, which is a national competition sponsored by the American Society of Association Executives and the Center for Association Leadership in Washington.

ASTRO's patient outreach program was honored with an AAA Award for its efforts to help cancer patients understand the complexity of radiation therapy treatment and is now in the running to receive a Summit Award, which is ASAE and the Center's top recognition for association programs.

"ASTRO is very committed to helping patients better understand how radiation therapy works and to giving our members the tools to explain this complex, yet very effective treatment to their patients in an easy to understand way," Laura I. Thevenot, ASTRO CEO, said. "We are extremely proud to be recognized by ASAE with an AAA Award for our hard work in helping cancer patients decipher their treatment options."

source: American Society for Radiation Oncology

New treatment for prostate cancer allows greater precision in targeting radiation

SYRACUSE, N.Y.— University Hospital of SUNY Upstate Medical University is first hospital in the region to offer the a new treatment for prostate cancer that allows clinicians to accurately manage the delivery of radiation to prostate cancer tumors. Also referred to as “GPS for the Body,” the Calypso 4D Localization System provides for the delivery of precision‑guided radiation therapy to the prostate with continuous, objective, organ‑motion detection and monitoring.

According to Jeffrey Bogart, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at SUNY Upstate, organ motion, which naturally occurs as a result of normal body physiology—such as the bladder filling—may cause the prostate to move slightly, potentially compromising the precise delivery of radiation during treatment.

“The Calypso system enables physicians to detect the slightest tumor movement in real‑time so accurate radiation therapy can be delivered while reducing the risk of damage to healthy surrounding organs and tissues, which can lead to common side effects such as bladder irritation and changes in bowel function,” Bogart said.

source: SUNY Upstate Medical University

ASTRO Applauds President Obama's Health Priorities

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) applauds President Obama's healthcare reform priorities set forth in his February 26, 2009, budget blueprint, particularly the President's promise to double funding for cancer research and close loopholes that are weakening the Medicare program.

Remarkable breakthroughs in cancer research and medical technology continue to make radiation therapy an effective, less-invasive cancer treatment option. Because radiation therapy is not invasive and has relatively minimal side effects, patients receiving radiation therapy often can maintain normal family lifestyles and continue to work.

The economic downturn and a strained healthcare system are forcing an increasing number of cancer patients, both insured and uninsured, to make heartbreaking decisions to delay or forgo necessary radiation treatments. Radiation oncologists are deeply troubled by this dire situation facing their patients and are committed to help move forward needed healthcare reform.

source ASTRO

Next Generation Proton Therapy System for Cancer Treatment Set for Release This Year

LITTLETON, Mass., Feb. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Still River Systems announced today the successful operation of the world's highest field, high energy cyclotron magnet. Still River's magnet is the key technical element for reducing the size and cost of the particle accelerator that will deliver proton therapy at a number of hospitals beginning with the first installation at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri this fall.

"The last six months have been very exciting," said Marc Buntaine, CEO. "Still River has achieved all of the component milestones that bring us to system integration and delivery." Proton therapy, widely regarded as the next evolutionary step in the radiation treatment of cancer, has seen unprecedented interest from the radiation oncology and patient communities in recent years. However, the large size and high cost of existing proton therapy systems have made it difficult for the average hospital to add this powerful tool to their cancer fighting arsenal.

The heart of the Monarch250, a superconducting magnet developed in an industrial and academic partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has now tested operational and stable at its full design current "This magnet sets a record for magnetic field strength used in a high energy cyclotron. The cyclotron built around this magnet will be the most compact source for proton therapy available today." said Dr. Kenneth Gall, founder and Chief Technology Officer.

source: PR Newswire

Radiation Therapy Equipment Vendors To Test System Integration

The American Society for Radiation Oncology will host a connectathon at its headquarters in Fairfax, Va., this September as part of the Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise - Radiation Oncology (IHE-RO) initiative to promote seamless connectivity and integration of radiotherapy equipment and patient health information systems. The goal of this multi-year project is to reduce medical errors and improve efficiency by allowing physicians to purchase the best equipment for their practices, regardless of the manufacturer. This connectathon will be the final step in a process that has included vendor development, software testing and real-time interconnectivity testing.

"ASTRO is honored to be a leader of such a critical initiative as the IHE project," said Laura I. Thevenot, ASTRO's chief executive officer. "By ensuring that vendors meet the IHE-RO integration requirements, we are enabling radiation oncology teams to better implement the advanced technology available to them and better communicate vital information to the men and women undergoing treatment for cancer. I congratulate all the vendors participating in this initiative that I believe will help lead to more seamless patient care."

source: Medical News Today

New Proton Therapy Equipment Enables More Tumors to be Treated

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Feb. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- An advance in the way protons are delivered at the University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute enables physicians to treat tumors that are deeper in the body, tumors that are very large and tumors that are situated closer to vital organs.

Called uniform scanning, the new device moves a single beam of protons in a sweeping or "scanning" motion, enabling the beam to reach deeper into the body and to cover a wider treatment area than the more commonly used scattering method. Until now the proton beam was "scattered" and flattened using round filters that limited how deep and how wide protons could travel into the body.

Proton therapy will now be a possible treatment option for prostate cancer patients with a hip circumference of more than 50 inches and for sarcoma patients with tumors larger than 9.4 inches. Uniform scanning also means significant medical advantages for patients with tumors in the head and neck, brain or spinal column since it can cover the target area more efficiently than the scattering method.

source: PR Newswire

Varian Medical Systems Has Received CE Mark for Proton Therapy System

PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Varian Medical Systems today announced that it has received CE mark for the Varian Proton Therapy System, which is designed to help doctors to improve treatments and outcomes in many cancer cases. With proton therapy, doctors can use higher doses of radiation to control and manage tumors while significantly reducing damage to healthy tissue and vital organs.

"CE mark is an important milestone in Varian's initiative to develop and market a compact system capable of intensity-modulated proton therapy in single- or multi-room facilities," said Lester Boeh, vice president of emerging businesses for the company. "This is a clear demonstration of our ongoing commitment to provide the cancer treatment community and its patients with a clinically practical and commercially viable proton therapy system that meets accepted safety standards for medical equipment."

source: Varian

University Clinic Heidelberg Explores Advanced TomoTherapy® Delivery Technique

MADISON, Wis.--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--TomoTherapy Incorporated (NASDAQ: TOMO) announced today that research partner University Clinic Heidelberg, Germany, has demonstrated the ability to dramatically reduce treatment times for the TomoTherapy® Hi·Art® system, while at the same time improving plan quality by further reducing radiation dose to normal tissue. Based on an in-depth planning study, University Clinic Heidelberg researchers anticipate that a reduction in treatment time of between 40 to 75 percent will be possible with next-generation delivery techniques currently in development by TomoTherapy. Detailed findings of the study will be published later this year.

University Clinic Heidelberg, one of the top radiation oncology institutes worldwide, installed the Hi·Art treatment system in March 2006. In December 2008, the medical team, led by Prof. Dr. Jürgen Debus, Prof. Dr. Klaus Herfarth and Dr. Florian Sterzing, treated its 500th cancer patient with TomoTherapy’s unique CT platform-based solution for image-guided, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IG-IMRT).

source: TomoTherapy

Nucletron and Advanced Radiation Therapy (ART) Jointly Announce a Global, Strategic Partnership to Offer AccuBoost® for Image-Guided Breast Irradiatio

COLUMBIA, MD and BILLERICA, MA (February 12, 2009) — Nucletron, a knowledge-based leader in radiation oncology, and Advanced Radiation Therapy (ART) announced today an exclusive global, strategic partnership to offer the AccuBoost® system with the microSelectron® high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy afterloader treatment delivery solution for the treatment of breast cancer. The partnership will enable clinicians all over the world to deliver boost brachytherapy as part of the whole breast irradiation procedure, providing a superior treatment option with the ultimate goal of improving clinical outcome.

The partnership offers radiation oncology centers the opportunity to implement ART’s innovative technology in image-guided HDR breast brachytherapy on a pay-per-patient pricing model, along with a full complement of Nucletron’s treatment planning, treatment delivery, training, licensing, reimbursement, and customized service support. ART’s expansion of AccuBoost technology through its global partnership with Nucletron will further reduce the barriers to adoption of brachytherapy for cancer centers previously deterred by the initial start-up costs usually associated with implementing a breast brachytherapy program.

source: Nucletron

Source of cancer stem cells' resistance to radiation discovered at Stanford

STANFORD, Calif. — Much to the dismay of patients and physicians, cancer stem cells — tiny powerhouses that generate and maintain tumor growth in many types of cancers — are relatively resistant to the ionizing radiation often used as therapy for these conditions. Part of the reason, say researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine, is the presence of a protective pathway meant to shield normal stem cells from DNA damage. When the researchers blocked this pathway, the cells became more susceptible to radiation.

“Our ultimate goal is to come up with a therapy that knocks out the cancer stem cells,” said Robert Cho, MD, a clinical instructor of pediatrics. “If you irradiate a tumor and kill a lot of it but leave the cancer stem cells behind, the tumor has the ability to grow back.” As a result, patients can relapse months or years after seemingly successful treatment.

source: Stanford School of Medicine

Deficiencies Common In Radiation Therapy Trial Reports For Hodgkin's, Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Reporting of radiation therapy details in randomized controlled trials for Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is deficient due to a lack of reporting of key radiation therapy descriptors and quality assurance processes designed to ensure the accuracy and reproducibility of treatment regimens, according to a February 1 study in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology* Physics, the official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

Randomized controlled trial reports are the primary source of trial documentation that is available to clinicians and patients, and complete descriptions of the therapies used are necessary for proper interpretation and replication of the trials.

source: American Society for Radiation Oncology

19% of women don’t receive recommended radiation after mastectomy

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — One-fifth of women who should receive radiation after a mastectomy are not getting this potentially lifesaving treatment, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The study looked at 396 women who were treated with a mastectomy for breast cancer. The researchers found that 19 percent of women who fell clearly within guidelines recommending radiation treatment after the mastectomy did not receive that treatment.

Results of the study appear online in the journal Cancer and will be published in the March 15 issue.

Post-mastectomy radiation is known to decrease the risk of cancer returning in the chest wall and has been shown to reduce mortality in high-risk patients, but there’s been some debate within the cancer community about who is likely to benefit most.

source: University of Michigan Health System

ProCure Signs Agreement with .decimal, Inc. to Purchase Patient-Specific Devices for Its Proton Therapy Center in Oklahoma City

SANFORD, Fla., Feb. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- .decimal, Inc. announced today that it has signed an agreement with ProCure Treatment Centers, Inc. to supply patient-specific devices for its proton therapy facility in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

".decimal is excited to have a formal agreement signed with ProCure to be their preferred outsource provider of custom, patient-specific devices utilizing our patented, internet-based manufacturing solution," says Richard Sweat, CEO and President of .decimal.

This agreement calls for proton range compensators and apertures to be manufactured in Sanford, Florida and shipped to the facility in Oklahoma within 24-72 hours. Mark Mills, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for .decimal says, "Signing with ProCure just further strengthens the commitment we have made to the proton therapy industry and specifically to their state-of-the-art facility in Oklahoma City."

.decimal, Inc. has been supplying patient-specific medical devices, as well as other custom machining projects for the University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute since June of 2007. This partnership continues to demonstrate why .decimal, Inc. is the industry leader in partnering with proton therapy facilities worldwide.

source: PR Newswire

Winning the War on Cancer: The Critical Role of Radiation Oncology

A group of radiation oncology providers, manufacturers and patient groups today gathered to raise awareness about one of the least understood cancer treatments: radiation therapy. Every year, more than 1 million cancer patients receive radiation treatment. In a patient's personal war against cancer, new and improved technologies are aiding the fight by allowing more targeted radiation to cure cancer, control the growth of cancer or relieve pain and other cancer symptoms.

The Capitol Hill briefing, hosted in coordination with the House Cancer Caucus, featured Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC), a breast cancer survivor who was treated with radiation therapy, and Rep. Parker Griffith (D-AL), who this month became the first radiation oncologist sworn into Congress.

"As far as cancer treatments go, radiation therapy is very patient-friendly because it allows men and women to get necessary care while maintaining a normal family life and continuing to work. That's a feature that cannot be understated when American families are facing difficult financial times," said Rep. Myrick. Myrick was joined by her own radiation oncologist, Dr. Robert Fraser of North Carolina, and expressed her gratitude to him and his thousands of colleagues "for their life-saving work for cancer patients."

source: US Oncology

RaySearch Laboratories: First Product From Collaboration Between RaySearch And TomoTherapy Receives FDA Clearance

RaySearch Laboratories AB (STO:RAYB) and TomoTherapy Inc. announced that the new software solution SharePlan™ has received 510(k) clearance by the FDA and can now be market launched.

SharePlan™ is an advanced treatment planning solution that enables transfer of treatment plans between TomoTherapy® Hi•Art® systems and conventional linear accelerators. The product uses highly sophisticated algorithms to automatically generate a selection of deliverable high-quality IMRT plans based on an existing Hi•Art® plan. This time-saving concept is an important tool for optimizing patient benefit and throughput at clinics that are introducing a Hi-Art® system into an environment with existing conventional linear accelerators.

source: Medical News Today

ASRO offers online learning opportunities

Fairfax, Va., January 9, 2009 – The ASTRO School of Radiation Oncology (ASRO)
offers several online courses to provide a more convenient way for its members to
get their required continuing medical education (CME) and self assessment module (SAM) credits.

The American Board of Medical Specialties has determined that lifetime certification does not provide an adequate benchmark for quality, but rather continuous professional development and continuous certification are needed to maintain quality performance.

“In 1995, the American Board of Radiology (ABR) began issuing 10-year time limited certificates to board certified radiation oncologists and requiring all radiation oncologists to meet specific continuing education requirements every 10 years,” Kathy Thomas, senior director of education for ASTRO, said. “Recognizing this need, we helped the ABR to develop a Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program that
provides an easy way for our members to keep track of the requirements they need to renew their 10-year certificates.”

As part of the MOC program, ASTRO members can complete required CME courses and SAM credits from their personal computers via the ASRO Web site.

source: ASRO

TomoTherapy and Hitachi Medical Corporation Enter Into Distribution Agreement for Japan

MADISON, Wis – Jan. 20, 2009 – TomoTherapy Incorporated (NASDAQ: TOMO) announced today that it has entered into an exclusive agreement with Hitachi Medical Corporation (HMC) to distribute the Hi·Art® cancer treatment system in Japan. Through the agreement, HMC will market, sell and service the innovative Hi·Art system, which facilitates highly precise, CT-guided radiation therapy for a wide range of clinical indications.

“Hitachi Medical Corporation is an ideal partner for us and for our valued customers, in one of our most important markets,” said TomoTherapy CEO Fred Robertson, M.D. “HMC’s robust national infrastructure and reputation for excellent technical and customer support will enhance our ability to service all hospitals in Japan that are currently using TomoTherapy technology. Additionally, this agreement represents a significant opportunity for us to reach new customers, and help advance the quality of cancer care across Japan, the second largest radiation therapy marketplace in the world.”

source: TomoTherapy

Duke University Medical Center Optimizes Radiation Treatment Targeting and Efficiency with Calypso® 4D Localization System™

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Calypso Medical Technologies, Inc. (www.calypsomedical.com) announced today that Duke University Medical Center is the first in the country to install a Calypso® 4D Localization System™ with the just-released Adaptive Workflow Efficiency option to optimize radiation treatment for their cancer patients. The upgradeable system option includes Adaptive Couch Repositioning™ which provides connectivity between the Calypso System and Varian Medical Systems’ 4D integrated treatment console (4DITC), to allow an immediate, on-line response to organ motion.

Known as GPS for the Body®, the Calypso System utilizes implanted Beacon® transponders to setup and continuously track the position of targeted tissue during radiation treatment. When the tumor site moves outside of acceptable limits, the clinician can immediately adapt therapy to ensure treatment is delivered as prescribed to the cancerous tissue while avoiding adjacent healthy organs.

“Using the Adaptive Couch Repositioning feature on the Calypso System, we are able to ensure that our patients are optimally positioned for treatment without entering the room,” said W. Robert Lee, M.D., professor of radiation oncology at Duke University Medical Center. “When the System detects significant organ motion, it realigns the patient in a matter of seconds, ensuring that radiation therapy is focused on the tumor, avoiding healthy surrounding tissue. This optimizes treatment by ensuring patients are in the correct position throughout their radiation treatment.”

source: Business Wire

Radiation Lowers Relapse Risk in Noninvasive Breast Cancer

A new review confirms that the addition of radiation therapy to lumpectomy in the treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a noninvasive early form of breast cancer, substantially decreases the risk of recurrence of either DCIS or invasive breast cancer in the affected breast.

In addition, there appear to be no long-term side effects from the radiation, such as damage to the heart or lungs.

Co-author Dr. Annabel Goodwin and colleagues from the Westmead Hospital in Australia and the University of Sydney looked at recent studies that evaluated the addition of radiation therapy after lumpectomy in the treatment of DCIS.

“We wanted to assess whether breast conserving surgery followed by radiotherapy is better than breast conserving surgery alone,” Goodwin said. “We also wanted to investigate if there was any short- or long-term toxicity from the use of radiotherapy to determine the balance between benefit and harm.”

The review appears in the latest issue of The Cochrane Library, a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates medical research. Systematic reviews draw evidence-based conclusions about medical practice after considering both the content and quality of existing medical trials on a topic.

source: Health Behavior News Service