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Innovative Radiotherapy Method Potentially Halves Treatment Duration for Head and Neck Cancer

A groundbreaking study by the IAEA has found that a new radiotherapy technique for head and neck cancer could significantly shorten treatment times, especially beneficial for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This research, the largest of its kind, involved 12 centers across ten LMICs, including Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, and Uruguay. The study showed that administering fewer but higher doses of radiation has similar clinical outcomes to standard treatments, potentially halving treatment durations.

This advancement could be a game-changer for LMICs, where head and neck cancer is particularly prevalent, accounting for 76% of global cases and 84% of deaths in 2020. Shorter treatment times mean reduced waitlists, allowing more patients to receive prompt care. This is crucial in LMICs, where challenges like increased demand for radiotherapy, limited resources, and centralized healthcare services in major cities contribute to long waiting periods. Reducing these wait times not only eases patient and family anxiety but also improves survival chances. The findings have been published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, and Physics and align with global initiatives like the IAEA’s Rays of Hope, which aims to bolster cancer treatment capabilities in these countries.

What is Radiation Therapy?

The IAEA’s HYPNO trial, launched in 2010, has introduced a transformative approach to radiotherapy for head and neck cancer, a disease prevalent in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Traditional treatment typically spans seven weeks, but prior studies have explored more intense regimens, either increasing the dose over the same period or maintaining the dose but shortening the duration to five to six weeks. These methods proved safe and effective.

Expanding on these findings, the IAEA’s latest research tested an even more intensive method: hypofractionated radiotherapy. This approach administers fewer but higher radiation doses over just four weeks, roughly half the time of standard treatment. In a groundbreaking comparison involving 729 patients, the outcomes and survival rates for those receiving accelerated normo-fractionated and hypofractionated radiotherapy were similar, affirming the latter’s efficacy and safety in a shorter timeframe.

The trial’s influential results, presented by Professor Søren M. Bentzen at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology’s annual meeting, underscore the need for randomized controlled trials in LMICs to establish evidence-based practices. This research exemplifies how international collaboration and the IAEA’s role in connecting global cancer centers can lead to significant advancements in radiation oncology. The HYPNO trial’s success means that radiation oncologists can now treat more patients effectively and efficiently, offering a practical solution to resource limitations in cancer care.

May Abdel-Wahab, Director of the IAEA Division of Human Health, highlighted the trial’s significance in demonstrating the value of funded, multinational research tailored to global cancer needs. This innovation in cancer care, supported by IAEA’s initiatives like Rays of Hope Anchor Centres, is crucial in ensuring that patients worldwide receive timely and high-quality treatment.

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RadParts, a TTG Imaging Solutions Company, is the world’s largest independent distributor of OEM replacement parts. We specialize in low-cost parts for repairing linear accelerators and radiation equipment. Our mission is to provide high-quality, user-friendly, low-cost components and support for linear accelerators and radiation equipment. Contact RadParts at 877-704-3838 to learn more.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com

WSU Veterinary Hospital Installs a New Linear Accelerator to Fight Cancer

Washington State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital has significantly advanced its cancer treatment capabilities by installing a new linear accelerator (LINAC). This state-of-the-art technology is set to revolutionize the way cancer is treated in pets, offering advanced radiation therapy that can not only prolong lives but potentially cure various cancers.

Dr. Janean Fidel, a veterinary oncologist at WSU, emphasized the transformative potential of this machine in treating a wide range of cancers, including mast cell tumors, soft tissue sarcomas, and cancers affecting the oral, nasal, and brain regions. The new LINAC stands out for its precision in targeting cancer cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues, a critical aspect of effective cancer treatment.

The installation of this LINAC, which involved fundraising efforts since 2018 amounting to over $1 million, replaces an older model acquired in 2010. Despite serving over 3,500 animals, the previous machine was plagued with frequent malfunctions. The new LINAC is a technological leap forward, offering enhanced accuracy, speed, and safety. It boasts submillimeter targeting accuracy and high dose rate delivery, greatly improving treatment outcomes by reducing unnecessary radiation exposure to healthy tissue and shortening treatment duration.

A notable feature of the new LINAC is its onboard imaging system, allowing operators to precisely locate tumors just before treatment, ensuring accurate alignment with the radiation beam. This system is a significant upgrade over older models that relied on film for imaging, which was less efficient and offered lower image quality.

The WSU oncology team has undergone extensive training to utilize this advanced machine. Dr. Raelynn Farnsworth, the chief medical officer of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, expressed gratitude to the donors who acquired this technology. This new equipment is expected to provide exceptional cancer treatment for pets, a rare service in the region.
Reference the original article at WSU.edu/news here.

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RadParts, a TTG Imaging Solutions Company, is the world’s largest independent distributor of OEM replacement parts. We specialize in low-cost parts for repairing linear accelerators and radiation equipment. Our mission is to provide high-quality, user-friendly, low-cost components and support for linear accelerators and radiation equipment. Contact RadParts at 877-704-3838 to learn more.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com

Patients Privately Pay $2,500 for a Full-Body MRI Scan to Detect Cancer

Dr. Julianne Santarosa, celebrating July Fourth on a boat in Texas, received unsettling news during a full-body MRI scan conducted by Prenuvo. Radiologists had identified a lung nodule, raising concerns about her health. Although she hadn’t experienced any pain or specific symptoms, she had a gut feeling to get the scan after seeing a Prenuvo ad on Facebook. Subsequent tests confirmed the nodule was cancerous, but the early detection allowed for prompt treatment and a more favorable outcome.

Demand for Prenuvo’s services has surged, prompting the company to announce the opening of 11 new locations by 2024. Celebrities like Kim Kardashian have endorsed the company, and notable investors include Cindy Crawford, Eric Schmidt, Anne Wojcicki, and Tony Fadell. Prenuvo utilizes custom MRI machines capable of scanning the entire body in about an hour, providing comprehensive health assessments. However, the service is currently not covered by insurance, necessitating out-of-pocket payments.

Prenuvo’s mission is to empower customers by revealing more than 500 conditions, including cancer, multiple sclerosis, and brain aneurysms, through advanced imaging technology. Despite long waitlists, many individuals are eager to experience the benefits of early disease detection. While Prenuvo aims to lower costs through various means, radiologist shortages and the limitations of MRI scans underscore the complexities of healthcare diagnostics.

Prenuvo’s technology offers peace of mind and relaxation during the scanning process. Patients receive results within a few weeks and appreciate the non-invasive and comfortable experience. As the company continues to evolve, it strives to complement existing healthcare practices, emphasizing that its scans are not meant to replace targeted screenings like colonoscopies and mammograms.

While the journey to revolutionize medical diagnostics is ongoing, Prenuvo’s innovative approach has garnered attention and sparked patient and investor interest. Its commitment to early detection and enhancing overall wellness suggests a promising future for this pioneering healthcare company.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com

MIT and Dana-Farber’s Breakthrough in Identifying Cancer Origins

In certain cancer cases, pinpointing the exact origin of the cancer is challenging, which complicates treatment decisions. Specific cancer treatments are tailored to different cancer types, and not knowing where the cancer originated from hinders treatment options.

Fortunately, a collaboration between researchers at MIT and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has unveiled a machine-learning model, named OncoNPC, that can predict a tumor’s origin by analyzing the genetic sequence of about 400 genes.

Upon testing, the model showcased an impressive ability to correctly identify the origins of tumors 80% of the time. For tumors where predictions were made with high confidence, the accuracy surged to about 95%. This is monumental for cases classified as cancers of unknown primary (CUP), representing 3 to 5 percent of all cancer patients.

Utilizing the OncoNPC model on about 900 CUP tumors revealed that it could make high-confidence predictions for 40% of them. Further validating the model’s precision, the predicted cancer types corresponded with patients’ survival times, aligning with known prognoses for those cancer types.

Additionally, the model’s implementation could have reshaped treatment decisions for patients. A subset of CUP patients who received treatment congruent with the model’s predictions had more favorable outcomes compared to those who received mismatched treatments.
The researchers emphasized that a significant portion of patients could benefit from existing precision treatments if the cancer’s origin was identified through their model.

The team, funded by multiple institutions, including the National Institutes of Health, is optimistic about enhancing the model’s capabilities. Incorporating other data types like radiology and pathology images aims to equip the model to offer comprehensive insights, potentially guiding optimal treatment options.

To view the original source, visit: MIT News

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Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

Available Diagnostic Imaging for Smaller Communities & Young Athletes

The Need for Imaging in Less-Populated Areas

Numerous Americans encounter the inconvenience and discomfort of traveling long distances to reach the nearest MRI facility. Due to declining populations and the substantial operational expenses associated with imaging facilities, many small-town clinics have had to close their doors. This leaves patients to fend for themselves, compelled to undergo testing in unfamiliar towns far away, with healthcare professionals they’ve never met and may never encounter again.

When experts in the field address this issue, their attention often gravitates toward older cancer patients—a valid concern, considering the aging demographics in rural regions and the unique challenges this demographic faces regarding extensive travel for imaging services. However, this predicament impacts all residents of these communities, including those at lower risk for cancer. Young individuals are also at risk. Over 30 million children participate in organized sports annually, and approximately 3.5 million will sustain injuries. Swift and precise diagnosis of these injuries is crucial for proper treatment and recovery, and diagnostic imaging has played a pivotal role in modernizing the approach to treating sports-related injuries.

Diagnostic Imaging Technology

When children lack access to accurate injury diagnosis, they may encounter lifelong repercussions. While X-rays are relatively accessible, more advanced equipment like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and CT scanners are seldom found in rural and smaller communities. These advanced machines are essential for accurately diagnosing soft-tissue injuries that X-rays cannot detect. However, with prices exceeding $1 million, they remain financially out of reach for many small clinics.

In response to this challenge, smaller community clinics are turning to pre-owned medical equipment. Machines that are no longer required at larger facilities but still have many years of useful life left in them are perfectly suitable for these scenarios. By adopting this approach, clinics can remain operational, and healthcare providers can offer more precise diagnoses and treatments for sports-related injuries than relying solely on physical examinations. Many medical practices have discovered that pre-owned equipment provides a practical solution to their financial constraints, enabling them to serve their communities better.

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Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

New MR, PET Images Analyze Alzheimer’s Biomarkers

An anti-amyloid antibody drug that reduces amyloid beta proteins in the brain has provided a novel treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. This innovative brain imaging solution for Alzheimer’s disease management can analyze Amyloid-Related Imaging Abnormalities (ARIA), a known side-effect in patients using the anti-amyloid drug. Previously, careful monitoring and management of ARIA was crucial due to the drug’s side effects.

An Artificial Intelligence (AI) company, Neurophet, specializes in brain diseases. Neurophet has created a new technology that examines ARIA-E (edema), generally detected by T2-FLAIR, and MRI sequence, along with ARIA-H (hemorrhages), mostly recognized by GRE or SWI. To properly observe cortical amyloid beta deposition, an amyloid-PET scan is essential.
The AI technology developed by Neurophet predicts amyloid positivity through Magnetic Resonance (MR) images before conducting amyloid-PET scans. Since amyloid-PET scans are expensive and their use and recompense are severely restricted, the use of MR images for predicting amyloid positivity could offer a cost-effective solution in regards to clinical trials and prognosis of Alzheimer’s.

Neurophet set the stage at the 2023 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) with its cutting-edge brain imaging analysis technology, which can be used in both clinical trials and Alzheimer’s disease drug prescriptions.

AQUA software, a brain MRI analysis tool, examines brain atrophy observed in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s by measuring cortical amyloid beta deposition, a known causative agent of the disease. Neurophet hopes to bring the products to market side-by-side with new Alzheimer’s disease treatments. The company has invested in research and development focused on ARIA side effects.

Jake Junkil Been, CEO of Neurophet, said, “Neurophet’s major products and technologies are expected to be very useful in the process of clinical trials, diagnosis, side effect monitoring, and prognosis observation of Alzheimer’s disease treatment. We are going all out to develop solutions related to Alzheimer’s disease treatment to preemptively target the high-growth Alzheimer’s disease treatment market.”

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Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

Prostate Cancer Treatment Vastly Improved

Cutting-edge technology and nuclear medicine are massively improving prostate cancer treatments, especially over the past two decades. Before 2000, prostate cancer was detected through manual palpation, a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test, and an ultrasound. Notably, prostate cancer is not visible in ultrasounds, so urologists would have to sample random prostate areas to discover the cancer.

In the early 2000s, prostate MRI emerged and progressed through the 2010s. This technology allowed radiologists to discover whether prostate tumors were present.

Brett Mollard, MD, a diagnostic radiologist in Michigan, said, “They could now see and target the tumors rather than randomly sampling the prostate and hoping to biopsy the tumor. We’re actively witnessing a second revolution thanks to new imaging agents, known as radiotracers or radiopharmaceuticals, for PET.”

In 2012, Positron Emission Technology (PET) radiotracers received approval, with better ones emerging in 2016. In 2021, Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) was introduced, which helped to diagnose with lightning speed compared to previous methods.

Andres Correa, MD, assistant professor at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, said, “While MRI has significantly reduced the rate of negative biopsies and the diagnosis of low-risk prostate cancer, the imaging modality remains limited. Up to 50 percent of patients with prostate imaging-reporting and data system (PI-RADS) 4 and 25 percent of patients with PI-RADS 5 will have benign findings on targeted biopsy. I believe that the incorporation of PSMA agents into MRI screening will allow us to better define patients who need a prostate biopsy and further reduce the number of unnecessary prostate biopsies.”

Avenda Health’s new AI-backed prostate cancer technology, cleared by the FDA, is emerging in Los Angeles with promising results. Using machine learning, the Unfold AI platform gives physicians the most accurate picture of prostate cancer to date.

Wayne Brisbane, MD, assistant professor of urology at UCLA Health, said, “With a wide breadth of ablative options available, Unfold AI represents the first technology to improve tumor localization and patient selection. I am hopeful that Unfold AI will be intraprostatic staging what prostate-specific membrane antigen PET/CT has been for extraprostatic staging. Additionally, there are potential applications for surgery, radiation therapy, and patient decision-making.”

Mollard said, “Prostate cancer treatment is already at a great place, especially for local and regional disease, where five-year survival rates are already over 98 percent. Over the next 10 years, I think the focus will remain on earlier and more accurate diagnosis/detection and discovering new drugs to treat metastatic prostate cancer.”

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Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

Examining Breast Cancer Screening Age

The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) recently released a Statement on Screening for Breast Cancer, sparked by new recommendations from the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

The ACR and Society of Breast Imaging recommend an annual mammography screening starting at age 40, but in updated guidelines, the ACR lowered its recommended age to 25.

Stamatia V. Destounis, MD, chair of the ACR Breast Commission and a member of the RSNA Public Information Advisors Network, said, “The ACR recommends that the patient at average risk for breast cancer gets screened with mammography starting at age 40 and yearly thereafter with no upward limit, as age should not be a factor of when a patient stops screening instead of their overall health and other comorbidities. The ACR guidelines speak specifically for the high-risk patient because of family history of breast cancer, and or dense breast tissue as these are groups that the USPSTF fails to recommend any supplemental screening.”

The USPSTF recently released a statement suggesting biennial mammography screenings for women ages 40 to 74. The recommendation states that the “current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening mammography in women aged 75 years of age or older.” Public comments on the statement are being accepted until June 6, 2023.

Dr. Destounis said, “The new Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines from USPSTF do not go far enough in their recommendation for breast cancer screening. Black women are 42 percent more likely to die of breast cancer in comparison to white women and the USPSTF guidelines could exacerbate the disparities by allowing cancers in those high-risk women another year to advance.”

Breast cancer screening targets small cancers in their early stages before it’s symptomatic or significantly spread throughout the body. According to 2015 National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data, the breast cancer death rate in the United States (which remained unchanged for the previous 50 years) has decreased by 43 percent due to early mammography screening.

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Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

Superior Cancer Therapy via Novel Tracking Radiation Treatment

For the first time, researchers at the University of Michigan developed a way to measure radiation during cancer treatment using precise 3D imaging.

Medical professionals could map the radiation dose by capturing and magnifying small sound waves created by the x-ray heating body tissue. This novel approach offers a new view into data and treatments that doctors could not see before.

Hundreds of thousands of patients receive radiation in cancer treatment every year, which introduces high energy waves and x-ray particles to the body in large increments to debilitate cancer cells. A lack of precision overshadows the benefits of radiation, which also generally damages healthy surrounding cells and can increase the risk of developing new tumors.

Xueding Wang, the Jonathan Rubin Collegiate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, professor of radiology, and corresponding author in the study published in Nature Biotechnology, and leader in the Optical Imaging Laboratory, said, “Once you start delivering radiation, the body is pretty much a black box. We don’t know exactly where the x-rays are hitting inside the body, and we don’t know how much radiation we’re delivering to the target. And each body is different, so making predictions for both aspects is tricky.”

Real-time 3D imaging allows doctors to focus radiation on cancerous cells more accurately and minimize exposure to nearby cells. Thermal energy results from x-rays when absorbed into tissues, which causes the cells to expand, creating a sound wave.

Standard ultrasound technology cannot pick up on these acoustic waves, which are relatively weak. Now, this new technology detects the wave with a selection of ultrasonic transducers aimed at the patient’s side. The signal is augmented and relocated into an ultrasonic device that reconstructs the image.

Oncology clinics can then maneuver radiation doses to ensure safer and more effective care. The new therapy can also be effortlessly added to existing radiation therapy equipment without significantly altering the clinicians’ current procedures.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

Individualized Cancer Radiotherapy

High-energy radiation is used to destroy cancer cells in radiotherapy, followed by a treatment plan to minimize the effects of radiation on healthy tissues. It is impossible to predict the immediate effects of treatment (including potential side effects) as each individual is different, and cancer treatment varies.

Associate Professor Teemu Mullyä, from the University of Oulu, Finland, said, “Cancer therapies produce extensive changes in the physiological and morphological properties of tissues, which are also dependent on the individual.”

At Oulu University Hospital, researchers are working to alter cancer treatment by centering it around the patient. In a study published in the Journal of Biomedical Optics (JBO), they report formulating a method to measure specific patients’ biological responses to therapy, allowing them to assess real-time radiotherapy patient effects.

Using a functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) device, researchers were able to measure changes in the amount of hemoglobin in the brain while the patient underwent whole-brain radiotherapy using a linear accelerator.

Since hemoglobin levels are a valuable indicator of changes in blood volume and radiotherapy changes blood circulation, fNIRS helps provide insights into the immediate effects of radiation. Blood circulation in the tissues was measured in ten patients via tissue oxygenation.

Mullyä said, “This is the first time human cerebral hemodynamics and cerebral tissue oxygenation changes have been measured during irradiation in clinical radiotherapy. The instantaneous measurement of tissue oxygenation levels during radiotherapy is especially helpful in cases of tumor hypoxia, which is when the oxygen levels in a tumor are low due to certain conditions. Such tumors are particularly resistant to radiotherapy. By instantly measuring tissue oxygenation levels, our proposed method can be used to assess the effectiveness of cancer treatment. This can eventually enable physicians tailor radiation doses to optimize treatment and improve outcomes for their patients.”

In the future, the researchers will apply their technique to more patients, helping to advance personalized cancer treatment.

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Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/