Winning the War on Cancer: The Critical Role of Radiatio...( Radiation Oncology Community Gathers ...),Health

Radiation Oncology Community Gathers with House Cancer Caucus on Capitol Hill to Raise Awareness of Benefits of Targeted Radiation to Treat, Cure Cancer

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A group of radiation oncology providers, manufacturers and patient groups today gathered to raise awareness about one of the least understood cancer treatments: radiation therapy. Every year, more than 1 million cancer patients receive radiation treatment. In a patient's personal war against cancer, new and improved technologies are aiding the fight by allowing more targeted radiation to cure cancer, control the growth of cancer or relieve pain and other cancer symptoms.

The Capitol Hill briefing, hosted in coordination with the House Cancer Caucus, featured Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC), a breast cancer survivor who was treated with radiation therapy, and Rep. Parker Griffith (D-AL), who this month became the first radiation oncologist sworn into Congress.

"As far as cancer treatments go, radiation therapy is very patient-friendly because it allows men and women to get necessary care while maintaining a normal family life and continuing to work. That's a feature that cannot be understated when American families are facing difficult financial times," said Rep. Myrick. Myrick was joined by her own radiation oncologist, Dr. Robert Fraser of North Carolina, and expressed her gratitude to him and his thousands of colleagues "for their life-saving work for cancer patients."

Radiation treatment has been used to treat cancer patients for more than 100 years, yet new technology and improved technique allow radiation oncologists to better target radiation and more effectively eliminate the cancer cells while protecting healthy cells. Thanks to remarkable advances in radiation oncology, doctors can, for instance, treat breast cancer without removing the breast and treat brain tumors without having to
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