The study, published early online on June 24 in the journal Cancer Cell, provides a previously unavailable genomic analysis whose scope and size offers new insight leading to more effective diagnostic tests as well as future treatment options for prostate cancer patients.

“We have used all of our expertise and resources to complete a large-scale study of the changes in the genomes of patients’ prostate cancers,” says Dr. Sawyers, who explains that prostate tumor cells are very difficult to work with despite the fact that prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. Consequently, there have been fewer genomic studies in prostate cancer compared to other tumor types such as lung cancer. “The ability to collect and analyze these tumor samples is a testament to the collaboration and expertise across many disciplines.”

The MSKCC team, composed of members of the Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, urology, medicine and genitourinary oncology services, pathology, computational biology, and statistics departments, used an integrated, comprehensive approach to analyze 218 primary and metastatic samples and 12 cell lines. All samples were procured from patients treated by radical prostatectomy at MSKCC. The analysis revealed a much higher frequency of alterations in the androgen receptor pathway than previously suspected. Also, the pattern of DNA copy number alterations identified defined subsets of low-and high-risk disease beyond what is revealed by Gleason score.

“One of the holy grails of prostate cancer is to identify which tumors need to be aggressively treated and which don’t,” said Dr. Sawyers. “Ultimately, what we have learned could lead to the creation of a genetic-based test to determine which prostate cancers might become more virulent and require aggressive treatment and which tumors may not.” According to Dr. Sawyers, “This data clarifies the role of several known cancer pathways and provides important clues into others. We have gained insight into the importance of androgen receptor status?and why some men respond to hormone therapy and others don’t.”

The MSKCC genetic and clinical outcome data is publically available and represents a valuable resource to the cancer research community. The computational biology department has created the user-friendly, Web-based portal: http://awabi.cbio.mskcc.org/portal.

The research was supported in part by the MSKCC Prostate SPORE CA092629 and by the David H. Koch Foundation and is dedicated to the memory of MSKCC researcher William Gerald who initiated this project.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center is the world’s oldest and largest private institution devoted to prevention, patient care, research, and education in cancer. Our scientists and clinicians generate innovative approaches to better understand, diagnose, and treat cancer. Our specialists are leaders in biomedical research and in translating the latest research to advance the standard of cancer care worldwide. For more information, go to www.mskcc.org.

	VIDEO: This is a tutorial on how tissue-engineered rat lung is transplanted. Click here for more information.

New Haven, Conn. ? A Yale University-led team of scientists reports that it has achieved an important first step in regenerating fully functional lung tissue that can exchange gas, which is the key role of the lungs. Their paper appears in the June 24 issue of Science Express.

Lung disease accounts for around 400,000 deaths each year in the United States. Lung tissue is difficult to regenerate because it does not generally repair or regenerate beyond the microscopic level. The only current way to replace damaged adult lung tissue is to perform lung transplantation, which is highly susceptible to organ rejection and infection and achieves only 10% to 20% survival at 10 years.

The Yale team’s goal was to see if it was possible to successfully implant tissue-engineered lungs, cultured in vitro, that could serve the lung’s primary function of exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide. They took adult rat lungs and first removed their existing cellular components, preserving the extracellular matrix and hierarchical branching structures of the airways and vascular system to use later as scaffolds for the growth of new lung cells.

VIDEO:
This video shows how lung tissue is engineered.

They then cultured a combination of lung-specific cells on the extracellular matrix, using a novel bioreactor designed to mimic some aspects of the fetal lung environment. Under the fetal-like conditions of the bioreactor, the cells repopulated the decellularized matrix with functional lung cells. When implanted into rats for short intervals of time (45-120 minutes), the engineered lungs exchanged oxygen and carbon dioxide similarly to natural lungs.

Lead author Laura Niklason, M.D., Ph.D., professor and vice-chair of the Departments of Anesthesiology and Biomedical Engineering at Yale University and a member of Yale Medical Group, said, “We succeeded in engineering an implantable lung in our rat model that could efficiently exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide, and could oxygenate hemoglobin in the blood. This is an early step in the regeneration of entire lungs for larger animals and, eventually, for humans.”

The team found that the mechanical characteristics of the engineered lungs were similar to those of native tissues and, when implanted, were capable of participating in gas exchange. “Seeded and cultured epithelium displays remarkable hierarchical organization within the lung matrix, while seeded endothelial cells efficiently repopulate the lung vasculature, Niklason said.

The Yale team says this is an important first step, but a great deal more research must be done to see if fully functional lungs can be regenerated in vitro, implanted and sustained in their functioning. Niklason says that for this technology to be applicable to patients, it is likely that years of research with adult stem cells will be needed to repopulate lung matrices and produce fully functional lungs.

Other authors are Thomas H. Petersen, Ph.D., Duke University; and Elizabeth A. Calle, B.S., Liping Zhao, M.S., Eun Jung Lee, Ph.D., Liqiong Gui, Ph.D., MichaSam B. Raredon, Kseniya Gavrilov, B.S., Tai Yi, M.D., Zhen W. Zhuang, M.S., M.D., Christopher Breuer, M.D., and Erica Herzog, M.D., Ph.D., of Yale University.

Funding was provided by the Yale School of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology and the National Institutes of Health.

Citation: Science Express, June 24, 2010

The standard of care for patients with HCC is local ablation of the tumor, unless it is large or has metastasized. However, HCC tumors often recur, or new lesions develop. In the International Journal of Cancer, Hie-Won Hann, M.D., professor of Medicine at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, and colleagues reported that the median survival in patients who received antiviral therapy after HCC diagnosis was 60 months in patients. In those who did not receive antiviral therapy, the median survival was 12.5 months.

“Before the antiviral drugs were developed, patients would often develop new lesions within a few months of tumor ablation because we were not treating the underlying virus that is causing the liver cancer,” Dr. Hann said. “The virus drives the cancer, and by suppressing the virus and making it undetectable we can extend the survival for these patients.”

The small study included 15 CHB patients who received local ablation of a single HCC tumor that was less than four cm. The first six patients were diagnosed between 1991 and 1997, prior to the development of antiviral therapy. These patients were considered historical controls.

The other nine patients were diagnosed between 2000 and 2004. These patients began ongoing antiviral therapy with lamivudine immediately after HCC diagnosis. Other antiviral medications, such as tenofovir and adefovir were added to the regimen if resistance to lamivudine developed, or even without drug resistance.

All patients who received the antiviral therapy maintained undetectable hepatitis B virus in serum and continued the therapy. Seven of the nine patients have not developed a new HCC or recurrence. The longest survivors are the two patients who came with HCC in 2000. They are doing well, free of caner for more than 10 years. All patients continue with the antiviral therapy and are followed at three to four month intervals.

“The other option for these patients is liver transplantation, which carries its own risks,” said Robert Coben, M.D., associate professor of Medicine at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, who was involved in the study. “This is an attractive alternative for this patient population.”

Other researchers include Anthony J. DiMarino, M.D., William Rorer Professor of Medicine at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, and Diane Bergin, M.D., who is now at the University Hospital Galway in Ireland.

Professor Arto Urtti of Helsinki University (formerly from Kuopio) explains: “When these compounds are in solution and DNA is added, they bind together. The large, loose DNA molecule collapses and tiny particles of about 10-50nm in diameter are formed, composed of both DNA and carrier. When you present this to the cells, the nanoparticles bind to the cell surface, which folds inwards to form a vesicle within the cell. The particles then escape from the vesicle, releasing the DNA.”

Researchers at Helsinki University found that out of all the compounds tested, the most effective were those which succeeded in transferring DNA into the nucleus. The mechanism by which the DNA enters the nucleus is not yet clearly understood, but it is known that gene transfer is more effective in cells which are actively dividing, e.g. cancer cells.

Dr Aiva Plotniece, Dr Arkadijs Sobolevs and their colleagues at the Latvian Institute then set out to synthesise dozens of different DHP derivative compounds. Dr Plotniece comments: “The great advantage of these compounds is the biologically active 1,4-DHP fragment, which with proper substitution, can show certain biological and physico-chemical properties. During the project we have designed different 1,4-DHPs, which allowed us to establish structure-activity relationships.”

The third project partner, the independent Latvian chemical producer Bapeks, contributed its experience of larger-scale synthesis and advised the Latvian Institute researchers on how best to scale up the synthesis methodology. The compounds were then distributed to a number of other research colleagues in Latvia, Finland and Lithuania for further study. At present, project partners feel that the main uses will be in laboratory experiments, and much further research is needed before they can be used for gene transfer in the human body.

Partners in the EUREKA project believe that although more research is needed, the project has been very successful. “It was the first big, important project for us” says Dr Sobolevs. “We have significantly widened the potential uses of self-assembling 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives into nanomedicine, gene delivery and even into drug delivery systems.” The project team found that EUREKA support helped greatly in preparing, managing and reporting the project. It was also through EUREKA that the other partners were introduced to Bapeks.

E! 3371 GENE TRANSFER AGENT is a EUREKA project.

Founded in 1985, EUREKA now unites 39 member countries promoting together innovation through the support they offer to enterprises, universities and research institutes. Results stemming from EUREKA projects are everywhere: mobile phone technology; navigation systems; smartcards; special effects in movies; state-of-the-art medical devices and technologies to monitor and limit environmental pollution.

The study ? which is the first to examine whether automated calls can increase screening for colon cancer ? involved nearly 6,000 Kaiser Permanente members in Oregon and Washington who were overdue for screening. Half received up to three reminder calls stressing the importance of screening and offering them an at-home kit to detect blood in the stool. Within six months, 22.5 percent of people who received reminder calls ordered and completed a stool card test, compared to only 16 percent of those who did not receive reminder calls.

“Most Americans who should be screened for colon cancer are not being screened. If everyone who is eligible for screening received reminder calls through a program like this one we could screen millions of additional people,” said study lead author David Mosen, PhD, MPH, an investigator at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research. “And because the calls are automated, they can be delivered to large numbers of people in a short period of time.”

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, claiming more than 52,000 lives a year. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force urges Americans to start screening at age 50, unless they are at high risk, in which case they should be screened earlier.

There are several screening methods available, including: colonoscopy, where a tube is inserted into the rectum to examine the entire colon; sigmoidoscopy, which examines the lower colon; and Fecal Occult Blood Tests, a non-invasive test to detect blood in the stool. FOBT, which was the test used in this study, is often recommended as a first step, and requires people to place stool samples on cards and then send the cards to a lab.

“The stool test is easy to take, but many people see it as unpleasant. This study shows that simple, automated calls motivate more people to take the test, and that means we will detect more cancers at an early stage when we can still save lives” said Adrianne Feldstein, MD, the study’s principal author and a researcher at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research.

The study, conducted in 2008, was so successful that Kaiser Permanente in Oregon and Washington now is using the automated phone calls to remind all members who are overdue for colon cancer screening.

Other studies have found live phone calls very effective in boosting cancer screening rates, but because those calls require hiring extra people, they are cost-prohibitive for many health care organizations. Other research found that reminder postcards can boost screening rates, but automated phone calls are less expensive than postcards because the cost per call decreases as the number of calls increases. An automated call system could be implemented easily by public and private health care systems, especially those with fewer resources, researchers said.

In this study, people aged 51 to 80 received calls because they had not had a colonoscopy in the last 10 years, a flexible sigmoidoscopy or barium enema in the last five years, an FOBT test in the past 12 months, or a clinician referral for FOBT or barium enema within the last three months. The automated calls in English and Spanish lasted about one minute. Members were told about the importance of screening, and were asked to press a number on their phone if they wanted to order a free at-home kit. If the person did not order and complete the test within six weeks they received a second call, and if they didn’t respond in another six weeks, they received a third call. People in the control group ? who were of similar age, sex, BMI and race ? did not receive automated calls, but may have received reminders from their primary care physician.

A recording of the automated reminder call is available at this link: http://www.kpchr.org/research/public/Audio/CRC_EN.mp3.

Study authors include David M. Mosen, Ph.D., MPH, Adrianne C. Feldstein, MD, MS, Nancy Perrin, PhD, A. Gabriela Rosales, MS, David H. Smith, RPh, Ph.D., Elizabeth G. Liles, MD, Jennifer L. Schneider, MPH, from the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Portland, Ore.; Michael Kositch MD, Thomas Hickey, MD from Northwest Permanente, Portland, Ore.; Russell E. Glasgow, PhD, from the Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Research, Denver; Jennifer E. Lafata, PhD, from Henry Ford Health System in Detroit; and Ronald E. Myers, PhD, from Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia.

About the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research (http://www.kpchr.org):

Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research, founded in 1964, is a nonprofit research institution dedicated to advancing knowledge to improve health. It has research sites in Portland, Ore., Honolulu and Atlanta.

About Kaiser Permanente:

Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 8.6 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: www.kp.org/newscenter.

http://www.kaiserpermanente.org

The work of the researcher was recently published in Cell Stem Cell.

Early mammalian embryos actually possess three stem cell lineages: ES (embryonic stem), TS (trophectoderm stem), and XEN (extraembryonic endoderm), which give rise to the fetus, placenta and yolk sac respectively, the Texas A&M researcher explains. Using the mouse as a model organism, Golding and his colleagues demonstrate that the mechanisms silencing gene expression are different between each of the three stem cell types.

“Much like a closed book cannot be read while an open book can, the DNA encoding genes can either be tightly wound up and silent or in a relaxed, open, active state,” Golding explains. “The mechanisms that control this gene packaging are called epigenetic as they represent a level of regulation that is above or ‘epi’ to genetics.”

The study shows “retroviral silencing in XEN cells is epigenetic in origin” and that “the three cell lineages of early mammalian embryo have vastly different viral silencing strategies as well as different capacities to suppress retroviral activity.”

To examine the validity of a common assumption that these stem cells use similar mechanisms to silence retroviruses, Golding infected the mouse embryo stem cells with mouse leukemia virus (MLV) and monitored the virus’ activity.

ES cells showed a progressive decline in virus activity, while TS cells had a constant level of virus activity. XEN cells, however, exhibited extremely aggressive and rapid silencing of virus activity, according to the study.

“Epigenetics is an exciting new field of research which is altering the way we think about fetal nutrition and exposure to environmental chemicals,” Golding adds. “This discovery that all three stem cell types of the early embryo utilize slightly different mechanisms to control gene expression has profound implications for how we diagnose and treat fetal diseases.”

About research at Texas A&M University: As one of the world’s leading research institutions, Texas A&M is in the vanguard in making significant contributions to the storehouse of knowledge, including that of science and technology. Research conducted at Texas A&M represents an annual investment of more than $582 million, which ranks third nationally for universities without a medical school, and underwrites approximately 3,500 sponsored projects. That research creates new knowledge that provides basic, fundamental and applied contributions resulting in many cases in economic benefits to the state, nation and world.

Contact: Keith Randall, News & Information Services, at (979) 845-4644 or keith-randall@tamu.edu; Michael Golding, Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, at (979) 862-1332 or mgolding@cvm.tamu.edu; or Miao Jingang, News & Information Services, at miaojingang@tamu.edu.

For more news about Texas A&M University, go to http://tamunews.tamu.edu.

Follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/tamutalk.

The 1-year survival rate after liver transplantation has dramatically increased in the past three decades to more than 80%. In contrast, there has been little improvement in long-term outcomes. Malignancy is one of the major leading causes of late death after liver transplant and is reported to be directly related to the intensity and the cumulative dose of immunosuppression.

Calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) such as cyclosporine (CsA) or tacrolimus (TAC) are the cornerstone of immunosuppressive treatment after transplantation. Several studies have yielded conflicting results about the incidence of de novo cancer between CsA- based and TAC-based regimens. Elucidating the role of different CNI regimens in the occurrence of de novo cancer after liver transplant was the goal of this study.

The Dutch team performed retrospective analyses in 385 liver transplant patients who underwent surgery between 1986 and 2007. Analyzed data included age of recipient at time of transplantation, gender of recipient, primary liver transplant indication, type of primary immunosuppressive therapy, de novo malignancy post transplantation, interval from liver transplant to diagnosis of malignancy, interval from liver transplant or diagnosis of cancer to death and interval from liver transplant to diagnosis of the first acute rejection. All patients were followed until December 2008. The primary endpoint was de novo malignancy, which was defined as the development of cancer other than recurrent primary liver cancer. Of the 385 study participants, 50 (13.0%) patients developed at least one de novo cancer.

The researchers observed that CsA in comparison to TAC treatment is the most important risk factor for de novo malignancy after liver transplant. This higher cancer risk was not, however, found in all CsA treated patients, but CsA specifically enhanced development of de novo cancer in patients transplanted in more recent years (2005-2007), and in younger patients (less than 50 years of age). In addition, CsA treatment particularly resulted in more aggressive types of cancer compared to TAC, with a 1-year survival rate less than 30%.

The reason for the increased cancer rates among CsA recipients is believed to be the fact that from January 2005, CsA dosing based on the conventional C0 level monitoring was replaced by dosing based on C2 level monitoring in all liver transplant patients. As this was the only major change in the CsA treatment in the recent study period, the team concludes that the C2 monitoring strategy was the reason for the increased early de novo cancer risk.

“Strikingly, CsA treated patients transplanted from 2005 on showed a 9.9-fold higher de novo cancer risk in the early phase after liver transplant compared to patients treated with TAC. These data indicate that only the specific CsA treatment used in recent years was associated with a higher risk for early development of de novo cancer,” said research team leader Herold Metselaar, M.D., Ph.D. “We also observed that, compared with TAC treated patients, CsA treated patients had a 2.5-times higher risk to develop more aggressive cancer types that do not belong to the non-melanoma skin cancer and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) categories, indicating that CsA is not only associated with a higher early de novo cancer risk, but also with cancer types having a worse prognosis.”

In this month’s editorial, Julie Thompson, M.D., suggests that further study is required, stating, “Metselaar and colleagues draw much-needed attention to concerns regarding overall immunosuppressant exposure and its relationship to long-term outcomes after liver transplantation. These data serve as a call to reassess the aggressiveness of current immunosuppressive regimens as a means of reducing risk from de novo malignancy.”

Article: “Increased Incidence of Early de novo Cancer in Liver Graft Recipients Treated with Cyclosporine: An Association with C2 Monitoring and Recipient Age.” Angela S.W. Tjon, Jerome Sint Nicolaas, Jaap Kwekkeboom, Robert A. de Man, Geert Kazemier, Hugo W. Tilanus, Bettina E. Hansen, Luc J.W. van der Laan, Thanyalak Tha-In, Herold J. Metselaar. Liver Transplantation; Published Online: March 8, 2010 (DOI: 10.1002/lt.22064 ); Print Issue Date: July 2010. http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/123313851/abstract

Editorial: “Immunosuppression, Cancer, and the Long-Term Outcomes after Liver Transplantation: Can We Do Better?” James M. Abraham, Julie A. Thompson. Liver Transplantation; Published Online: May 31, 2010 (DOI: 10.1002.lt.22114); Print Issue Date: July 2010.

This study is published in Liver Transplantation. Media wishing to receive a PDF of this article may contact healthnews@wiley.com

Liver Transplantation is published on behalf of The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society. Since the first application of Liver Transplantation in a clinical situation was reported more than twenty years ago, there has been a great deal of growth in this field and more is anticipated. As an official publication of the AASLD and the ILTS, Liver Transplantation delivers current, peer-reviewed articles on surgical techniques, clinical investigations and drug research ? the information necessary to keep abreast of this evolving specialty. For more information, please visit http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/106570021/home.

Wiley-Blackwell is the international scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly publishing business of John Wiley & Sons, Inc., with strengths in every major academic and professional field and partnerships with many of the world’s leading societies. Wiley-Blackwell publishes nearly 1,500 peer-reviewed journals and 1,500+ new books annually in print and online, as well as databases, major reference works and laboratory protocols. For more information, please visit www.wileyblackwell.com or www.interscience.wiley.com.

Surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are the three main treatments for cancer. It is estimated that two-thirds of all patients with cancer will receive radiation at some point during their course of treatment.

The meeting, “Safety in Radiation Therapy — A Call to Action,” takes place June 24-25, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency Miami and will be hosted by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) and the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

“Radiation therapy provides safe and effective treatment of cancer and other diseases for hundreds of thousands of people each year,” says AAPM President Michael Herman, Ph.D., a co-organizer of the meeting. “The purpose of this gathering is to ask, as a profession, how we are going to continue to move forward and create the safest environment for patients.”

“Our highest priority has always been ensuring patients receive the safest, most effective treatments. However, even one error is too many and I hope this meeting will help us make radiation therapy even safer,” says ASTRO Board Chairman Tim R. Williams, M.D. “It is frightening to receive the diagnosis of cancer, and completing treatment successfully should be the primary concern of cancer patients and their families. They need to know that their treatments are as safe as possible, period.”

The meeting will examine the process of radiation therapy from all perspectives, including those of all members of cancer treatment teams — the radiation oncologists, medical physicists, radiation therapists, and dosimetrists who together care for and oversee the safety of the patient.

The meeting will also detail what roles the major equipment manufacturers, regulators, hospital administrators, and patient advocacy groups may play in finding new ways of improving the safe delivery of radiation in the future.

“We are bringing together world experts and team members at the point-of-care in a unique program,” says William Hendee, Ph.D., a co-organizer of the meeting. “We look forward to an open, transparent discussion of everything that happens from when a patient is first diagnosed until the patient has completed treatment to look for ways to improve.”

The delivery of radiation therapy has evolved into a complex, technologically-sophisticated, computer driven process over the last few decades, Hendee says. This is generally a boon for people with cancer, says Herman, because it allows doctors and treatment teams to fight cancer using sophisticated new equipment and methods that improve cure rates and reduce side effects.

At the same time, mistakes in using this complex technology, along with human errors in general, may lead to underdoses, overdoses, and misaligned exposures. While rare, the results of technical failures and human errors can harm the patient.

The management of the delivery of radiation therapy requires the careful coordination of teams of professionals who interact with the complex technology and with each other to directly provide safe and effective patient care. Away from the clinic, scientists, engineers, government regulators, and patient advocates can all play roles in improving safety as well.

The meeting in Miami brings all of these different groups to the same table. The goal will be to openly discuss and find ways to continue to improve the performance and patient safety in the radiation therapy process.

Possible solutions may include new devices, software, and other technological improvements; automatic early warning systems that recognize unintended radiation doses immediately; and process improvements that enhance safety by eliminating human error.

ABOUT THE MEETING

Safety in Radiation Therapy — A Call to Action will be held from June 24-25 at the Hyatt Regency Miami in Miami, FL. For more information on the meeting, visit: http://www.aapm.org/meetings/2010SRT/

Speakers at the meeting will include medical physicists, radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, medical dosimetrists, and other experts from some of the North America’s most prestigious hospitals. Participants will also include representatives from the major equipment manufacturers, regulatory agencies, and patient advocacy groups.

For a full list of speakers, see:
http://www.aapm.org/meetings/2010SRT/ProgramInfo.asp

SPONSORS

The summit is funded and hosted by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) and the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and has been endorsed by several leading societies concerned with medical radiation, including:

• The American Association of Medical Dosimetrists;
• The American Board of Radiology Foundation;
• The American College of Medical Physics;
• The American College of Radiology;
• The American College of Radiation Oncology;
• The American Society of Radiologic Technologists;
• The Canadian Association of Provincial Cancer Agencies;
• The Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine;
• The Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists;
• The Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors;
• The Joint Commission;
• The National Patient Safety Foundation;
• PULSE (Persons United Limiting Substandards and Errors in Health Care); and
• The Society for Radiation Oncology Administrators.

CONTACTS AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS

If you would like to speak with either of the leaders listed below from the sponsoring organizations about the summit, please contact Jason Bardi (at the American Institute of Physics) at 858-775-4080 (cell) or jbardi@aip.org

• Michael G. Herman, Ph.D.,
  
  President, American Association of Physicists in Medicine,
  
  Professor and Chair, Division of Medical Physics,
  
  Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic

• Tim R. Williams, M.D.,
  
  Chairman, American Society for Radiation Oncology
  
  Medical Director of the Department of Radiation Oncology,
  
  Eugene M. and Christine E. Lynn Cancer Institute,
  
  Boca Raton Community Hospital

MORE INFORMATION/USEFUL LINKS

“Safety in Radiation Therapy — A Call to Action” Meeting Home Page:

http://www.aapm.org/meetings/2010SRT/

“Target Safely” ? ASTRO’s six-point patient protection plan:

http://www.astro.org/targetsafely

Questions for patients to ask their physicians regarding radiation safety:

http://www.rtanswers.com/treatmentinformation/questions/

Understanding how radiation therapy works for cancer:

https://www.rtanswers.org

AAPM Presentation at June 9-10, 2010 FDA Radiation Therapy Meeting:

http://www.aapm.org/publicgeneral/FDATRPresentation.asp

AAPM Statement on Quality Radiation Therapy:

http://www.aapm.org/publicgeneral/QualityRadiationTherapy.asp

ABOUT AAPM

The AAPM is a scientific, educational, and professional nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance the science, education and professional practice of medical physics. The Association encourages innovative research and development, helps disseminate scientific and technical information, fosters the education and professional development of medical physicists, and promotes the highest quality medical services for patients. In 2008, AAPM celebrated its 50th year of serving patients, physicians, and physicists. Please visit the Association Web site at http://www.aapm.org/

ABOUT ASTRO

ASTRO is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 10,000 members who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, biology and physics, the Society is dedicated to improving patient care through education, clinical practice, advancement of science and advocacy. For more information on radiation therapy, visit www.rtanswers.org. To learn more about ASTRO, visit www.astro.org.