American Society for Radiation Oncology Announces Patient Protection Plan
February 7, 2010
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) announced a six-point patient protection on February 3, 2010. The plan was described as the culmination of a long-term effort to assure that patients receive safe and effective radiation therapy, an effort that continued at the ASTRO Board of Directors winter meeting on January 28-31, 2010.
The ASTRO plan includes the following recommendations: 1) creating a database for the reporting of linear accelerator- and computed tomography-based medical errors, 2) launching an enhanced practice accreditation program, specifically addressing new, advanced technologies such as IMRT, SBRT, and brachytherapy, 3) expanding educational programs, with special emphasis on quality assurance and safety, 4) working with patient support organizations to develop tools for patients to use in discussions (more...)
Posted in General News
Obama Administration Boosts NIH Funding in FY 2011 Budget Proposal
February 7, 2010
On February 1, 2010, the Obama Administration released its proposed budget for fiscal year 2011, including a boost of $1 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This budget implements the President’s pledge to impose an overall freeze in domestic discretionary, eliminating or cutting certain programs to permit increases for others.
In its press release announcing its budget proposal, the Department of Health and Human Services HHS) said that the $1 billion increase in NIH funding, to a total of $32.2 billion, will support innovative basic and clinical research projects. According to HHS, “This effort will be guided by NIH’s five areas of exceptional research opportunities: supporting genomics and other high throughput technologies; translating basic science into (more...)
Posted in Brain Tumor Research, General News, Spending Bills
National Institutes of Health Announces Identification of Subtypes of Glioblastoma Multiforme
February 7, 2010
In a January 19, 2010, press release, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced the publication of a study by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network identifying four distinct molecular subtypes of glioblasoma multiforme (GBM). These findings were heralded as pointing the way toward more personalized approaches to treatment of GBM patients. The research team for TCGA is a collaborative effort funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI).
The NIH release stated, “Although the findings do not affect current clinical practice, the researchers said the results may lead to more personalized approaches to treating groups of GBM patients based on their genomic alterations. The study, published Jan. 19, (more...)
Posted in Brain Tumor Research, General News
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