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City of Hope First in Southern California to Adopt Novel Radiation Technology
Clinical trials for the new machine that might one day change the way metastatic cancer patients are treated expected to open next year.
DUARTE, Calif. — City of Hope is among the first in the nation to adopt a new radiotherapy technology that is expected to one day change the way metastatic cancer patients are treated.
Most radiotherapy technology cannot see all tumors, which is why physicians aim destructive beams of therapy at only one or two tumors at a time. City of Hope’s newly purchased RefleXion X1 is the first-ever platform that will combine targeted radiation therapy with positron-emission tomography (PET) imaging—today’s best cancer staging and imaging technique. The hope is that the machine will one day enable doctors to deliver biology-guided radiotherapy (BgRT), a treatment where tumor byproducts are detected in real-time and radiation beams are aimed at each tumor to destroy it, even if the disease is moving because the patient is breathing.
“If we think of cancer as enemy combatants hiding in the jungle at night, biology-guided radiotherapy is like a group of veteran snipers wearing thermal imaging goggles to see all opponents regardless of where they’re hiding or going,” said Jeffrey Wong, MD, chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at City of Hope. “These sharp shooters can then precisely target the enemy for a kill.”
Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity: Urban Health Outreach
May 9th 2024In the series debut episode of "Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity," Mary Sligh, CRNP, and Chelsea Chappars, of Allegheny Health Network, explain how the Urban Health Outreach program aims to improve health equity for individuals experiencing homelessness.
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Breast Cancer Treatment Disparities Impact Survival Based on Race, Age, Socioeconomics
May 9th 2024A new study has linked racial and ethnic disparities with factors like age, income, and insurance to breast cancer treatment decline. Patients who received all treatments had better survival, highlighting the need for interventions to improve access and reduce disparities.
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Tackling Health Inequality: The Power of Education and Experience
April 30th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our final episode of this limited series and our conversation with Janine Jelks-Seale, MSPPM, director of health equity at UPMC Health Plan.
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Shelly Lanning on How Employers Can Reduce Costs by Bridging Gaps in Women's Health Care
May 3rd 2024In a presentation at the Greater Philadelphia Business Coalition on Health Women’s Health Summit, Shelly Lanning, cofounder and president of Visana Health, addressed the need for comprehensive approaches in women’s health care and their coverage options.
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Joanne Mizell: Lifestyle Modification Programs Take Holistic Aim at Metabolic Disease
May 1st 2024Joanne Mizell shares insurer strategies in addressing the escalating rates of metabolic diseases, highlighting the importance of holistic treatment methods like lifestyle modification programs, which integrate nutrition, physical activity, and community engagement.
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