https://medicalxpress.com/ en-us provides the latest news from American Society for Radiation Oncology A new clinical trial report finds that stereotactic radiation therapy offers long-term survival outcomes comparable to surgery for patients with small, early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients in the study who received radiation also reported fewer side effects after treatment. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-year-clinical-trial-surgery-early.html Mon, 29 Sep 2025 20:00:01 EDT news678355699 Radiation therapy may offer a comparable and potentially safer alternative to repeat catheter ablation for patients with severe abnormal heart rhythms that can no longer be controlled with medication. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-therapy-patients-severe-heart-rhythm.html Mon, 29 Sep 2025 18:00:03 EDT news678353701 For patients with intermediate-risk, localized prostate cancer, radiation therapy delivered in five sessions reduced patient-reported side effects compared to longer courses of radiation, according to results of a large, randomized phase III trial. Patients treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) reported fewer declines in bowel, urinary and sexual functioning but were more likely to experience a rise in prostate-specific antigen (PSA). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-shorter-patient-disease-intermediate-prostate.html Mon, 29 Sep 2025 16:30:04 EDT news678355694 The first randomized trial to compare photon- and proton-based radiation therapy for breast cancer finds that patients report equally strong health-related quality of life with either treatment. Patients who received proton therapy were more likely to say they would recommend or choose it again, but overall patient-reported outcomes were similar. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-randomized-proton-photon-breast-cancer.html Mon, 29 Sep 2025 16:30:02 EDT news678356161 Radiation therapy could be an underused tool to reduce pelvic relapse risk for patients with locally advanced, muscle-invasive bladder cancer, according to results of a new Phase III randomized trial. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-therapy-surgery-safely-pelvic-relapse.html Mon, 29 Sep 2025 14:00:05 EDT news678358681 A new phase III clinical trial finds that intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and proton beam therapy resulted in similar quality-of-life outcomes and low rates of side effects for people with locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer. The TORPEdO trial, a randomized study conducted across the United Kingdom, found no meaningful differences between the treatments in patient-reported quality of life, swallowing function or feeding tube dependence at one year. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-intensity-modulated-therapy-proton-oropharyngeal.html Mon, 29 Sep 2025 14:00:03 EDT news678355705 A new randomized study finds that a lab test that reads tumor genes can identify which patients with recurrent prostate cancer will benefit from adding hormone therapy to radiation after surgery—the first predictive biomarker in this setting. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-kind-genomic-benefit-hormone-therapy.html Sun, 28 Sep 2025 16:00:04 EDT news678110046 A single course of low-dose radiation therapy may provide a safe and effective alternative treatment option for people with painful knee osteoarthritis according to a new randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-dose-therapy-substantial-relief-people.html Sun, 28 Sep 2025 16:00:03 EDT news678110401 A new clinical trial finds that people with a limited number of metastases from recurrent prostate cancer lived significantly longer without disease progression when they received a radiopharmaceutical drug before targeted radiation, compared with radiation alone. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-radiopharmaceutical-added-stereotactic-delay-prostate.html Sun, 28 Sep 2025 16:00:01 EDT news678176053 A new nationwide survey of more than 750 radiation oncologists confirms that prior authorization harms people with cancer by causing treatment delays, abandoned treatments, hospitalizations and patient deaths. The findings also make clear that the problem of prior authorization is growing worse, with patients now experiencing longer radiation therapy treatment delays than during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-12-prior-authorization-delays-people-cancer.html Wed, 04 Dec 2024 12:29:51 EST news652537787 Spiritual beliefs and a historically-based distrust of clinical research may factor into Black patients' decisions about whether to participate in cancer trials, according to surveys of patients treated at two Baltimore medical centers. Findings were presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-09-spiritual-themes-distrust-factor-black.html Mon, 30 Sep 2024 11:00:01 EDT news646643727 An accelerated course of radiation therapy does not increase complications for patients who undergo breast reconstruction following a mastectomy, new research shows. Findings of the large, Phase III RT CHARM trial (Alliance A221505) were presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-09-mastectomy-therapy-shortened-patients-breast.html Mon, 30 Sep 2024 10:00:01 EDT news646643844 Researchers looking to de-intensify radiation treatments for people with early-stage, HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer to prevent long-term side effects halted a large, randomized Phase II/III trial after patients in the control arm reached a record high, two-year progression-free survival rate of 98%. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-09-trial-standard-chemoradiation-superior-de.html Mon, 30 Sep 2024 10:00:01 EDT news646643825 People with limited-stage small cell lung cancer may benefit from adding immunotherapy to chemoradiation, but not if both treatments are given at the same time, new research finds. The results suggest that the timing of when immunotherapy is given plays a key role in its ability to extend survival. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-09-trial-adding-immunotherapy-chemoradiation-limited.html Mon, 30 Sep 2024 10:00:01 EDT news646643839 People with low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer treated with either of two types of contemporary radiation therapy—proton beam therapy or intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)—achieved equally high rates of tumor control with no differences in patient-reported quality of life, according to a first-of-its-kind Phase III clinical trial comparing the two technologies. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-09-imrt-proton-therapy-equally-high.html Mon, 30 Sep 2024 10:00:01 EDT news646643817 A substantial number of patients with brain metastases who experience cognitive side effects following radiation therapy may fully regain cognitive function, according to a pooled analysis of three large, Phase III clinical trials. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-09-people-side-effects-cranial-therapy.html Sun, 29 Sep 2024 17:10:01 EDT news646643853 A radiopharmaceutical therapy that has successfully extended progression-free survival for patients with neuroendocrine tumors shows early promise for delivering similar benefits to patients with difficult-to-treat meningioma, a type of brain tumor. Findings of the nonrandomized Phase II study were presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-09-radiopharmaceutical-therapy-people-tough-meningioma.html Sun, 29 Sep 2024 13:00:01 EDT news646643834 The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) issued today a clinical guideline on partial breast irradiation for patients with early-stage invasive breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). For the guideline, experts in breast cancer compiled evidence—including several recently published large, randomized clinical trials—to provide guidance on which patients can benefit from partial breast radiation, as well as best practices to deliver the treatment effectively. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-11-patient-centered-clinical-guideline-partial-breast.html Wed, 15 Nov 2023 14:38:41 EST news619281484 Using previously taken diagnostic computed tomography (CT) scans in place of CT simulation scans to plan simple palliative radiation treatments can substantially reduce the time some people spend waiting for urgent treatment, improving the patient experience, a new study suggests. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-10-diagnostic-scans-substantially-treatment-patients.html Tue, 03 Oct 2023 15:54:08 EDT news615567241 A type of head and neck cancer predominantly diagnosed in people who reside in low- and middle-income countries may be treated effectively with fewer but higher doses of radiation, a large new international study suggests. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-10-treatment-neck-cancer-patient-burden.html Mon, 02 Oct 2023 16:38:05 EDT news615483482 A novel liquid biopsy test may help determine which patients with non-small cell lung cancer that has spread beyond the lungs are most likely to benefit from targeted, high-dose radiation, rather than drug-based therapy, a new study suggests. Findings were presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting and published in npj Precision Oncology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-10-liquid-biopsy-patients-non-small-cell.html Mon, 02 Oct 2023 14:30:01 EDT news615455106 The presence of a clinical navigator to act as a liaison between people with prostate cancer and the health care system greatly increases the likelihood that patients, especially Black patients, will receive advanced testing that can help predict the severity of their disease and guide treatment, a new study suggests. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-10-precision-medicine-genomic-black-patients.html Mon, 02 Oct 2023 07:21:18 EDT news615450071 In a first-of-its-kind study, people with breast cancer who underwent implant-based breast reconstruction immediately following a mastectomy reported that getting fewer, higher doses of radiation was just as effective as standard radiation, did not increase side effects and saved them time and money. There also was a small improvement in quality of life for women under 45 who received the shortened treatment regimen. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-10-short-course-effective-patients-opt-breast.html Sun, 01 Oct 2023 15:57:20 EDT news615394626 Two liquid biopsy tests that look for the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the blood accurately identified patients with a high risk of cervical cancer recurrence after the completion of chemoradiation, a new study confirms. Findings will be presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-10-liquid-biopsies-rapidly-residual-disease.html Sun, 01 Oct 2023 15:55:21 EDT news615394508 Older adults diagnosed with kidney tumors that are not suitable for surgery may benefit from targeted, high-dose radiation, a new study from Australian and Dutch researchers suggests. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-10-high-dose-treatment-option-older-patients.html Sun, 01 Oct 2023 15:51:22 EDT news615394263 People who engage in sexual activity or vaginal dilation after chemoradiation treatment for cervical cancer are at lower risk for long-term side effects, according to a new study from researchers in Austria. Findings of the EMBRACE study will be presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-10-sexual-vaginal-dilation-side-effects.html Sun, 01 Oct 2023 15:46:23 EDT news615393973 People with intermediate risk, localized prostate cancer can be treated as effectively using fewer and higher doses of radiation therapy delivered over five treatment sessions as they can with lower doses delivered over several weeks, a new phase III randomized trial suggests. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-09-prostate-cancer-effectively-higher-doses.html Fri, 29 Sep 2023 17:00:01 EDT news615197381 The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Gastrointestinal Cancers Resource Panel issued the following statement today regarding the PROSPECT clinical trial for patients with rectal cancer: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-06-prospect-trial-treatment-options-patients.html Wed, 07 Jun 2023 17:17:03 EDT news605377021 A new clinical guideline from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and European Society for Radiotherapy & Oncology (ESTRO) provides guidance on the use of definitive local therapy—including radiation and surgery—to treat patients with oligometastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The guideline is published in Practical Radiation Oncology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-04-clinical-guideline-local-therapy-oligometastatic.html Tue, 25 Apr 2023 16:16:04 EDT news601658161 A new analysis of the U.S. radiation oncology workforce projects a relative balance between the supply of radiation oncologists and the demand for radiation therapy services through 2030. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-03-oncology-workforce-stable.html Wed, 08 Mar 2023 13:32:03 EST news597504721