Adding the chemotherapy drug cisplatin to a treatment plan of radiation therapy (RT) and high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDRB) for stage IIIB cervical cancer is beneficial, according to research presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology’s (ASTRO’s) 55th Annual Meeting. The study also indicated that the combined treatments produced acceptable levels of toxicity.

An analysis of quality of life (QOL) data of stage III lung cancer patients who received higher doses of radiation therapy (with chemotherapy) shows a significantly lower quality of life at 3 months after treatment compared to patients who received a standard dose of radiation (with chemotherapy), according to research presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology’s (ASTRO’s) 55th Annual Meeting. The study also suggests that lung cancer patients who received intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) reported less decline in their QOL compared to those receiving three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3-D CRT).

GE Healthcare reported that Silent Scan, a revolutionary technology that dramatically quiets magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams, is now commercially available and growing in clinical adoption around the world. Silent Scan addresses one of the most significant impediments to patient comfort — excessive acoustic noise generated during an MRI scan. Conventional MRI scanners can generate noise in excess of 110 decibels, roughly equivalent to rock concerts and requiring ear protection. GE’s exclusive Silent Scan technology is designed to reduce MR scanner noise to ambient (background) sound levels and improve a patient’s MRI exam experience.