For patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes, radiation therapy (RT) targeting only the involved lymph nodes regions results in less toxicity without causing a statistically significant difference in loco-regional lymph nodal recurrence, distant failure and overall survival rates, according to new research. Study findings were presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology’s (ASTRO’s) 57th annual meeting.

Outcomes for pediatric patients as young as 12 months with ependymoma who are treated with immediate post-operative radiation therapy are favorable and consistent based upon the patients’ tumor surgical resection and tumor grade, according to new research. Findings from the study were presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology’s (ASTRO’s) 57th annual meeting.

Bracco Diagnostics Inc. announced that Lumason was approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for pass-through status under the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (HOPPS). Lumason is an ultrasound contrast agent indicated for use in adults with suboptimal echocardiograms to opacify the left ventricular chamber and to improve the delineation of the left ventricular endocardial border.

A collaborative, patient reported outcome (PRO)-based approach by palliative care and radiation oncology teams results in better outpatient symptom management and a decrease in end-of-life hospitalizations and costs for late-stage cancer patients, according to new research.

IBA announced that Korea’s National Cancer Center (NCC) has recently installed and deployed its pencil beam scanning (PBS) delivery modality. On Sept. 22, PBS treatment was initiated for the first cancer patient to benefit from the superior precision of this delivery technique in Korea.

Immunotherapy combined with palliative radiation therapy (RT) for a subset of patients with metastatic melanoma reduces the growth and spread of the cancer, according to research presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology’s (ASTRO’s) 57th annual meeting.

For some early-stage breast cancer patients, accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) using multicatheter brachytherapy following breast conserving surgery may be an excellent treatment option. In new research presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology’s (ASTRO’s) 57th annual meeting, APBI was proven to be as effective as the current standard treatment – whole breast irradiation (WBI) – in local control, disease-free and overall survival rates.