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The Discovery of "X-Radiation" (X-Rays)
Wilhelm Rontgen announced his discovery of "X-Radiation." -
The First Use of Radiation Therapy to Treat Cancer
One of the first Americans to use X-ray radiation in the treatment of cancer was a Chicago chemist and homeopathic physician named Emil Grubbe. Grubbe performed one of the first radiation therapy treatments on a patient named Rose Lee that was suffering from the recurrence of inoperable breast cancer. He administered X-rays for about an hour on Rose and repeated the therapy several more times for the next seventeen days. -
The First X-Ray Machines Obtained at Memorial Hospital
Memorial Hospital (New York, NY) obtained two x-ray machines to be used for treating cancer. William Coley was a surgeon and supported the technique. He helped acquire the x-ray machines. -
Financial Support of Radiation Therapy
James Douglas was scientist and mining engineer. His daughter died of breast cancer, and he began to give very large financial donations to Memorial Hospital. He donated with the stipulation that the hospital must focus solely on cancer and that radiation be used for the treatment. -
The First Director of the Radium Department Hired at Memorial Hospital
The pioneer of medical physics, Gioacchino Failla was hired as the first Director of the Radium Department at Memorial Hospital. Dr. Failla obtained his PhD with Marie Curie in Paris and eventually became a pioneer in the field. He pioneered several new techniques in both external- and internal-beam radiation. -
The Large Donation of Radium
James Douglas donated 3.75 grams of radium to Memorial Hospital to be used for radiation therapy. The radium was stored in a vault in the hospital basement, and the emanations of the radon gas were collected and used in treatment. -
First External Beam Radium Device Developed
Medical physicist, Gioacchino Failla developed the first external-beam radium therapy device that was known as a "radium element pack" or a "radium bomb." It was used to treat cancers located in the brain, chest, and abdomen. -
Memorial Hospital Earns New Nickname
Through various donations, Memorial Hospital acquires nine grams of radium -- more than anywhere else in the world -- earning the nickname "Radium Hospital." -
Total Body Irradiation Unit Installed
Arthur C. Heublein and Gioacchino Failla installed a total body irradiation unit to treat lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease at Memorial Hospital. Patients lived in the unit for roughly two to three weeks and were administered low-level radiation. This procedure destroyed cancer cells in bone marrow and paved the way for bone marrow transplants, which are still in use today! -
One-Million-Volt X-Ray Machine Obtained
Memorial Hospital acquired a one-million-volt x-ray machine. This machine was the first one of its size installed in the United States! The machine delivered focused beams of radiation to tumors located deep inside a person's body. -
The Betatron Was Installed in Memorial Sloan-Kettering Center
Memorial Hospital acquired a 24-million-volt electron machine, dubbed the betatron. The betatron delivered high-energy electrons directly and precisely to the site of a tumor. It was used at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Center (MSK) for the next twenty-five years to treat head and neck, breast, cervical, and other cancers. -
The After Loading Technique Developed
Memorial Hospital oncologist, Ulrich Henschke developed a system that helped decrease radiation exposure to doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers. The system administered internal radiation by sending a radioactive pellet down a catheter and could be removed after it was used. This technique was called "after loading." -
Radioactive Iodine Seeds Used in Treatment
MSK radiation oncologists, Brasil Hilaris and Ulrich Henschke began using radioactive iodine seeds to treat prostate cancer. This approach eventually became standard practice because the seeds were much safer than other sources of radiation treatment. -
Isotopes Developed For Research
A cyclotron, nicknamed "Betsy," was installed at the Sloan-Kettering Institute and began producing radioactive isotopes for treatment and research. These isotopes were useful for detecting and treating cancer in the body. -
20-Million-Electron-Volt Accelerator Acquired
The Therac-20, a 20-million-electron-volt linera accelerator, was acquired at MSK. It could deliver high-energy electrons or x-rays to a patient's tumor in a extremely focused manner. Future iterations became popularly known by their trade names, such as CyberKnife and TrueBeam. -
Pioneered Use of External-Beam Radiation in Breast Cancer
As Memorial Sloan-Kettering Physician-in-Chief, Samuel Hellman, pioneered the use of external-beam radiation in combination with lumpectomy for women with early-stage breast cancer. This technique lessened the need for more-extensive surgeries. -
Computer-Aided Brachytherapy Pioneered
MSK radiation oncologists and medical physicists pioneer real-time computer-aided visualization and dose calculations to improve brachytherapy for prostate cancer. -
Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy Proven Safer and More Effective
MSK radiation oncologist Michael Zelefsky and colleagues published results of a large study showing that high-dose intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is safer and more effective than previous methods such as three-dimensional radiation therapy. -
Three-Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy Proven Safe and Effective
MSK radiation oncologist Kenneth Rosenzweig and colleagues reported results of three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3-DCRT) for non-small cell lung cancer showing that it is safe and effective -
Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy Proves Effectiveness in Spine Metastases
Josh Yamada, MSK radiation oncologist, published results on high-dose single-fraction intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for spine metastases. This approach to spinal radiotherapy was radical and new and has dramatically changed how the disease is treated today! -
High-Dose Stereotactic Radiosurgery Developed
MSK radiation oncologists developed a stereotactic radiosurgery technique to allow single-day, high-dose treatment of metastatic brain tumors. To compare how big this break-through was, conventional therapies can take up to six weeks! -
Proton Therapy Used with Radiation
The unique physical properties of protons allow them to deliver the dose of radiation at a specific depth in the body. This technique lowers the damage to normal tissues. This technology is currently used most often for head and neck tumors in pediatric cancers. -
Newly Pioneered Approach for Breast Cancer Treatment
Alice Ho, a MSK radiation oncologist developed a new radiation treatment plan with the Radiation Oncology Chair, Simon Powell. The treatment plan spreads the radiation dose over a large number of beams and makes it possible to cover the area more thoroughly without endangering the patient. -
Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy for Mesothelioma
Abraham Wu, Andreas Rimner, and colleagues published results from a phase II clinical trial showing that hemithoracic intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for mesothelioma is safe and effective. This approach represents a new lung-sparing treatment option for patients.
