Dear Radiation Oncology Insider,
Imagine being able to tell a patient diagnosed with uveal melanoma about a new procedure that might reduce or eliminate the loss of visual acuity that often follows eye brachytherapy treatments. Ophthalmic oncology specialists at the University of California, Los Angeles discovered that silicone oil -- commonly used in vitreoretinal surgical procedures -- can also attenuate radiation, and they're putting this finding into clinical practice.
This edition's Insider Exclusive covers this new surgical method to reduce radiation penetration through the eye from plaque brachytherapy. Click here to read about this unconventional -- and thus far successful -- procedure that AuntMinnie.com learned about in an exclusive interview with the surgeon who developed it.
In the useful news department, also check out a nomogram developed by physicians at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center that predicts individual risk of cancer recurrence for patients diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ. This tool might help convince patients reluctant about radiation therapy treatments to undergo them.
Also, the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has just published guidelines for the use of accelerated whole-breast irradiation, and impressive two-year outcomes for multicatheter accelerated partial-breast irradiation might expand patient eligibility. Click here and here to learn more.
Radiation safety was a major theme at last month's American Association of Physicists in Medicine annual meeting. Medicalphysicsweb editor Tami Freeman attended the opening special session, which you can read about by clicking here.
Ms. Freeman also writes about how models developed at the University of Washington can predict glioma radiation therapy response -- the article provides a fascinating glimpse at the new trend of personalizing cancer treatment regimes.
If you wish to share a new procedure or protocol, quality assurance programs that produce results, or other ideas, please contact me at [email protected]. Your suggestions help make our Radiation Oncology Digital Community coverage exciting.