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Research conducted at the Rhode Island Hospital department of radiation oncology has led to many important developments that translate to more effective treatments for our patients. Over the last few years, these findings have included the discovery of several genes and proteins that have important implications in diagnosis and treatment of a number of cancers. We have also pioneered the development of short-course brachytherapy for breast cancer and have defined the optimal use of radiation therapy in early stage breast cancer. Our medical physicists have adapted a declassified nuclear weapon computer code to improve the precision of radiation delivery, and also have converted a byproduct of nuclear weapon production (called californium-252) into a miniature radiation source to treat the most refractory cancers. Among many significant accomplishments, our department was the first in New England to use Gamma Knife and the second in the world to use intensity modulated radiation therapy (known as IMRT). We have been a pioneer in the development of radiosurgery and in innovative treatment for lung, GI, head and neck, breast and brain cancers. Rhode Island Hospital is the major teaching hospital for Brown Medical School, and we are active participants in the Brown University Oncology Group. Known as BrUOG, this unique group conducts clinical trials across all disciplines and all types of cancer. We continue to offer patients the very latest in treatment and clinical trials, so eligible patients have access to many promising new therapies. Among the many efforts we are currently involved in are the acquisition of new technologies, such as an application to precisely calculate radiation doses to minimize damage to healthy tissue, and incorporating medical imaging into radiation therapy to increase radiation doses while decreasing side effects. |
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