Radiation Therapy

Massachusetts General Hospital in the next few weeks will launch a large, long-awaited test of whether a controversial cutting-edge proton beam therapy is more effective than standard radiation treatment for prostate cancer. Proton beam therapy, a targeted and controlled way to administer radiation to a tumor, has become a flashpoint in the debate over health care reform. The expensive therapy is being used across the country and in some cases advertised directly to the general public before it has been deemed superior to standard radiation treatment, which costs about half as much.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez reappeared on television Tuesday a week and a half after returning from cancer treatment in Cuba. Chavez led a televised Cabinet meeting, seated at a table with aides. He spoke for more than two hours and expressed optimism about his re-election bid in the Oct. 7 presidential election. Chavez said he plans to formally sign up as a candidate as required early next month, and he suggested his opponent, state governor Henrique Capriles, isn't at his level.

Men diagnosed with prostate cancer are routinely given a harsh hormone therapy treatment for four months - it suppresses the production of the male sex hormone testosterone - but little was known about how effective that treatment was at increasing the odds of survival in those with early- and intermediate-stage disease. So researchers decided to test whether giving the drugs along with radiation treatments could prolong a patient's life. The answer, according to a study published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine, is no and yes: no, the drugs - such as...

Massachusetts General Hospital in the next few weeks will launch a large, long-awaited test of whether a controversial cutting-edge proton beam therapy is more effective than standard radiation treatment for prostate cancer. Proton beam therapy, a targeted and controlled way to administer radiation to a tumor, has become a flashpoint in the debate over health care reform. The expensive therapy is being used across the country and in some cases advertised directly to the general public before it has been deemed superior to standard radiation treatment, which costs about half as much.

(Correction: Because of a reporting error, the surname of surgeon William B. Coley was misspelled in the Health/Science section yesterday in the Health Sense column about hyperthermia treatment for cancer.) A year ago, when Gayle Driscoll's breast cancer spread to her skin, the 63-year-old retired teacher from Barnstable tried an experimental treatment that gave her radiation therapy some extra oomph. Every time she lay down for radiation treatment on her chest, her tumors were also heated with a special device that emitted microwaves.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez reappeared on television Tuesday a week and a half after returning from cancer treatment in Cuba. Chavez led a televised Cabinet meeting, seated at a table with aides. He spoke for more than two hours and expressed optimism about his re-election bid in the Oct. 7 presidential election. Chavez said he plans to formally sign up as a candidate as required early next month, and he suggested his opponent, state governor Henrique Capriles, isn't at his level.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says he's heading back to Cuba on Saturday night for his next round of radiation therapy as part of his cancer treatment. Chavez made the announcement in a phone call broadcast on television Friday night. He says the daily radiation treatments in Havana will help him continue what he calls a "battle for health and for life. " Chavez has been making regular trips to Cuba for treatment. He returned to Venezuela on Wednesday after his second round of several days of radiation treatment following surgery in February to remove a...

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has returned home after 11 days of cancer treatment in Cuba. State television showed images of Chavez chatting with his vice president and other aides after arriving at Caracas' international airport early Thursday. Chavez traveled to Cuba on April 14 for radiation therapy treatment. He said earlier this week that he expects to return to Havana soon to undergo more treatments. The Venezuelan leader began radiation treatment in Cuba in late March after an operation in February that he says removed a second tumor from his pelvic region.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has returned to Venezuela and says he's "doing well" following cancer treatment in Cuba. Chavez flew to Cuba last week for his third round of radiation therapy. He began the treatments in late March after having a tumor removed. He plans to have a total of five rounds in hopes of preventing a recurrence of his illness. The Venezuelan leader has regularly traveled to and from Cuba for cancer treatment since last June. That's when he says an initial surgery removed his first tumor, which was the size of a baseball.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has announced plans to increase his country's minimum wage. Chavez says the minimum wage will increase 15 percent in May and an additional 15 percent in September. The increase has been expected given Venezuela's soaring inflation, which currently stands at about 25 percent. The leftist president's government has raised the minimum wage between 20 percent and 30 percent each year during the past decade. Chavez made the announcement as he prepared to return to Cuba late Saturday for his next round of cancer treatment.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez returned home Friday after 11 days of cancer treatment in Cuba, saying his latest round of radiation therapy was successful. "I should say that we have successfully completed the medical treatment," the socialist leader said as dozens of uniformed soldiers holding assault rifles stood in formation along a red carpet on the tarmac at Simon Bolivar International Airport. "Of course, I must rigorously follow the medical advice in these coming days in order to continue recuperating," he said.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has returned to Venezuela and says he's "doing well" following cancer treatment in Cuba. Chavez flew to Cuba last week for his third round of radiation therapy. He began the treatments in late March after having a tumor removed. He plans to have a total of five rounds in hopes of preventing a recurrence of his illness. The Venezuelan leader has regularly traveled to and from Cuba for cancer treatment since last June. That's when he says an initial surgery removed his first tumor, which was the size of a...

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has announced plans to increase his country's minimum wage. Chavez says the minimum wage will increase 15 percent in May and an additional 15 percent in September. The increase has been expected given Venezuela's soaring inflation, which currently stands at about 25 percent. The leftist president's government has raised the minimum wage between 20 percent and 30 percent each year during the past decade. Chavez made the announcement as he prepared to return to Cuba late Saturday for his next round of cancer treatment.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says he's heading back to Cuba on Saturday night for his next round of radiation therapy as part of his cancer treatment. Chavez made the announcement in a phone call broadcast on television Friday night. He says the daily radiation treatments in Havana will help him continue what he calls a "battle for health and for life. " Chavez has been making regular trips to Cuba for treatment. He returned to Venezuela on Wednesday after his second round of several days of radiation treatment following surgery in February to remove a tumor in his...

Editor's note: Bert and Dorothy Gay, Somerville residents since 1968, wrote about their experience when Bert was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. "Back in May 2010, when I heard the words ‘inoperable lung cancer,' I got a pit in my stomach," said Bert Gay, 70, of Somerville. His wife, Dorothy, added, "Of course, we thought it was dire. " Bert had been experiencing some health issues and developed a cough following a vacation the Gays had taken to Ireland. "We thought it was a cold or bronchitis," Dorothy said.

Bert and Dorothy Gay enjoying a recent vacation in Dorothy's native Ireland. Editor's note: Bert and Dorothy Gay, Somerville residents since 1968, wrote about their experience when Bert was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. By Bert and Dorothy Gay "Back in May 2010, when I heard the words 'inoperable lung cancer,' I got a pit in my stomach," said  Bert Gay, 70, of Somerville. His wife, Dorothy, added,  "Of course, we thought it was dire.

NEW YORK — Tennis great Martina Navratilova has been diagnosed with a noninvasive form of breast cancer and her prognosis is considered excellent. Navratilova said in a phone interview yesterday that a routine mammogram in January found a lump, and a biopsy the following month determined it was ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS. The nine-time Wimbledon women’s singles champion had a lumpectomy in March and will start six weeks of radiation therapy next month. “It was such a shock for me,’’ Navratilova said.

Men diagnosed with prostate cancer are routinely given a harsh hormone therapy treatment for four months - it suppresses the production of the male sex hormone testosterone - but little was known about how effective that treatment was at increasing the odds of survival in those with early- and intermediate-stage disease. So researchers decided to test whether giving the drugs along with radiation treatments could prolong a patient's life. The answer, according to a study published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine, is no and yes: no, the drugs - such as...