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Showing 10301 - 10350Dying Patients with Cancer Who Avoid Aggressive Care but Stay Connected with an Oncologist Have Better Quality of Life
Dying patients with cancer who avoided hospitalizations and life-prolonging measures, who worried less, prayed or meditated, were visited by a pastor, and maintained a therapeutic alliance with their oncologist had the highest quality of life at the end of life, according to a study recently...
Physical Activity Benefits Breast Cancer Survivors, but Role in Reducing Breast Cancer Risk Is Less Clear
Breast cancer survivors who engage in moderate to high levels of physical activity have reduced mortality and improved quality of life, according to recent studies. In addition, exercise may play a role in lowering the risk of breast cancer. “Physical activity can hasten recovery from the immediate ...
Expert Point of View: Michael Krychman, MD
Like female cancer survivors, men experience high rates of sexual dysfunction following a cancer diagnosis and treatment, especially for prostate cancer, with as many as 90% of men reporting erectile dysfunction after radical prostatectomy and nearly as many suffering with the problem following...
Sexual Dysfunction in Female Cancer Survivors Is Prevalent
Although medical experts put the proportion of female survivors facing some form of sexual dysfunction following a cancer diagnosis and treatment at nearly 100%, very few women raise sexual health concerns with their oncologist. In a study of 261 patients with gynecologic or breast cancer published ...
Expert Point of View: Timothy Wilt, MD, MPH
PIVOT is the largest and longest randomized trial conducted in men with early-stage prostate cancer detected during the era of widespread PSA testing. The trial enrolled 731 men and followed them for up to 15 years after randomization. PIVOT results demonstrate that compared to observation, radical ...
No Survival Benefit of Radical Prostatectomy vs Observation for Localized Prostate Cancer Detected by PSA Testing
The relative benefits of surgery or observation in men with prostate cancer detected by prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing have not been defined. Randomized trials comparing radical prostatectomy with observation were conducted before widespread use of PSA testing and an observational study...
Importance of Dermatologic Care for Patients with Cancer
I first became interested in treating skin issues associated with cancer about 10 years ago, during my dermatology residency training at the University of Chicago. Many of the agents under clinical development at the time, such as cetuximab (Erbitux) or sorafenib (Nexavar), were causing...
Expert Point of View: Dan L. Longo, MD
The term “abscopal” is from Greek roots that mean “away from the target.” Coined by R.H. Mole in 1953, it was used to label observed effects of radiation at a distance from the volume irradiated. Mounting evidence suggests an immunologic basis for the effect, but it should also be remembered that...
Contagious Cancer and an Unexplained Phenomenon Might Inspire Future Therapies
A deadly contagious cancer known as devil facial tumor disease is pushing the world’s largest carnivorous marsupial, the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilius harrisii), to the brink of extinction. The loss of an interesting creature aside, the plight of the Tasmanian devil raises provocative questions...
Biomarker-driven Adaptive Trial Design Proving Informative in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
Biomarker-driven adaptive trial design is an accelerated strategy for targeted drug development that is proving informative in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to Roy S. Herbst, MD, PhD, Chief of Medical Oncology and Associate Director of Translational Research at Yale Cancer Center,...
Faculty Q&A Discussion: Anaplastic Large-cell Lymphoma
Dr. Armitage: For ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma, brentuximab vedotin is the best thing we have to deal with patients with recurrent disease, and who knows where it will end up in primary therapy. But if the patient is ALK-positive, there is a potential for crizotinib (Xalkori) to...
Faculty Q&A Discussion: Brentuximab Vedotin
Dr. Armitage: It is no surprise that brentuximab vedotin is really an exciting agent, and it gives us a new opportunity in treating classical Hodgkin lymphoma. What if this person Dr. Engert just presented was at the same point with nodular lymphocyte-predominant lymphoma and no CD30 positivity....
Faculty Q&A Discussion: Communicating with Patients
Dr. Armitage: As oncologists, we face many challenges. I think the most difficult is when you say to a patient with a disease everybody expects will be cured, and every patient expects to be cured, “It is not worth trying to do that. It is time to worry about keeping you as well as possible for as ...
Management of a Patient with Hodgkin Lymphoma following Failure of Autologous Stem Cell Transplant
Case Summaries presented by Joseph M. Connors, MD, Clinical Director, Centre for Lymphoid Cancer, British Columbia Cancer Agency, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada When considering the management of a patient whose Hodgkin lymphoma has relapsed despite high dose...
Novel Drugs Enhance—but Complicate—Prostate Cancer Treatment
Three emerging agents for castration-resistant prostate cancer are extending lives and defining their roles in the treatment scenario, according to William Oh, MD, of Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, who commented on new data at the Best of ASCO Boston meeting. “We are talking about...
SIDEBAR: How Should SWOG 9346 Be Interpreted?
The findings of Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) 9346 sparked controversy at the ASCO Annual Meeting, and the interpretations were debated at an official postpresentation discussion. At the Best of ASCO Boston meeting, William K. Oh, MD, of Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York—who also served as ...
Evidence Is Changing Colorectal Cancer Treatment Landscape
Key colorectal cancer studies presented at this year’s ASCO Annual Meeting are changing the treatment landscape in this disease, according to Michael Overman, MD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, who reviewed the data at the Best of ASCO San Diego meeting. The mix included...
Encouraging Data Presented for Monoclonal Antibodies and Novel Oral Agent in Lymphocytic Leukemias
Novel agents may transform the outcomes of lymphocytic leukemias. In acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), encouraging data were presented for two monoclonal antibodies, and in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a completely novel class of agents produced surprisingly robust results, said Attaya...
New Agents Are Achieving Deeper Responses in CML
As tyrosinse kinase inhibitors become increasingly effective in treating chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), major molecular responses (≥ 3-log reduction in BCR-ABL transcripts) are being achieved for a growing percentage of patients. “In the new era of tyrosinse kinase inhibitors, we are learning how...
ABVD and BEACOPP Yield Equivalent Survival in Hodgkin Lymphoma
In the EORTC 20012 randomized phase III trial comparing eight cycles of ABVD vs eight cycles of BEACOPP, Hodgkin lymphoma patients achieved equivalent overall survival with either regimen, but BEACOPP was more toxic.1 “Our approach, and that of most U.S. centers, is to use ABVD,” Michael E....
SIDEBAR: Is Watch and Wait the Best Strategy for Indolent NHL in the Rituximab Era?
Data from the RESORT and its planned subanalysis can guide oncologists in optimizing treatment for indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) with low–tumor burden advanced-stage disease, according to Michael E. Williams, MD, of the University of Virginia Cancer Center in Charlottesville. The phase III...
Which Rituximab-based Regimen Works Best in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma?
The treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients has been recently informed by several important studies, which were discussed at the Best of ASCO Boston meeting by Michael E. Williams, MD, of the University of Virginia Cancer Center in Charlottesville. Bendamustine Outperforms R-CHOP in NHL...
SIDEBAR: A Tough Call: The T1a HER2-positive Tumor
The optimal adjuvant management of T1a HER2-positive breast cancers is uncertain and requires an individualized approach, according to Hope S. Rugo, MD, Professor of Medicine and Director, Breast Oncology and Clinical Trials Education at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center....
SIDEBAR: Browsing the Anti-HER2 Options
“Where do current findings leave us in terms of anti-HER2 therapy options?” asked Harold J. Burstein, MD, PhD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Center, Boston, who moderated the Best of ASCO Boston meeting. New drugs are joining trastuzumab (Herceptin) and lapatinib (Tykerb), and there will be some juggling...
Cytotoxic Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer: Are We Done Tweaking It?
While novel targeted agents may grab the headlines in the treatment of breast cancer, oncologists still debate the optimal delivery of conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy, still a vital component of treatment. At the Best of ASCO Boston meeting, Steven J. Isakoff, MD, PhD, of Massachusetts General...
SIDEBAR: Molecular Testing Requires Planning at Time of Biopsy
The molecular analysis of lung cancer patients is becoming more and more complex,” and clinicians therefore need to consider any additional tissue requirements upfront, Dr. Horn commented. At Vanderbilt University, testing for EGFR, KRAS, and eight other mutations is done using the Lung SnaPshot...
New Therapies Capitalize on Lung Cancer’s Molecular Vulnerabilities
Research reported at this year’s ASCO Annual Meeting attests to the tremendous molecular diversity of non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the power of appropriately selected treatment, according to Leora Horn, MD, of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, who presented data on molecular findings...
Best of ASCO® Meetings Offer Data, Commentary, and Interaction with the Experts
Three Best of ASCO meetings were held over the summer in Chicago, Boston, and San Diego. The faculty distilled the most interesting and immediately applicable data from the 2012 ASCO Annual Meeting, provided personal perspectives, and interacted with attendees for an educational experience that was ...
On Mentoring: Looking Back with Gratitude and Paying It Forward
Upon graduation from medical school, doctors are given a gift that lasts a lifetime—the gift of respect. That respect needs to be re-earned every day, but it is accompanied by other rewards that come with caring for people: the ability to gain another’s trust, to reverse illness that alters the...
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Individualism in Clinical Decision-making
I found a statement by Dr. Peter Bach in the August 15, 2012, issue of The ASCO Post (in the article, “As Conflicting Guidelines Evolve, Experts Continue to Debate the Merits of Cancer Screening”) very troubling. To wit: There’s a cognitive dissonance between the practice of evidence-based medicine ...
2012 Is ‘Banner Year’ for Research on Symptom Management
The year 2012 was “a banner year for symptom management,” according to Debra L. Barton, RN, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, who presented data on patient and survivor care at the Best of ASCO San Diego meeting. “I have been doing symptom management for about 20 years, and it seems...
Link Found between Aspirin and Reduced Risk of Death Due to Prostate Cancer
In the News focuses on media reports that your patients may have questions about at their next visit. This continuing column will provide summaries of articles in the popular press that may prompt such questions, as well as comments from colleagues in the field. Over the past few weeks, Stanley L....
Starting Over after Cancer Treatment
When bloody discharge started oozing from the nipple on my left breast, I knew instinctively that it was serious. Although I was just 43, having lost two aunts to breast cancer, I knew my family history increased my risk for developing the disease. So when I saw my gynecologist for an exam, I was...
How to Recognize and Manage Vandetanib-induced Photosensitivity
Vandetanib (Caprelsa) is an inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor, and rearranged during transfection (RET) tyrosine kinase receptors. It has been approved by regulatory agencies for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic medullary thyroid...
Antioxidant Supplementation in Patients with Cancer: Is It Safe and Effective?
Antioxidant supplements are widely used by healthy individuals as a preventive measure against cancer and heart disease and by patients with cancer to promote healing and prevent recurrence. Studies suggest that dietary supplements are used by up to 81% of cancer survivors, and that 14% to 32%...
Tweeting at ASCO Annual Meetings Can Enhance the Experience
Tweeting at concerts or plays may earn you scornful looks or even stern warnings from ushers, but tweeting at the ASCO Annual Meeting may enhance the meeting experience for you and others. In a study comparing trends in Twitter use by physicians during the 2010 and 2011 ASCO Annual Meetings, some...
New Studies Explore Exposure to Cancer-causing Agents
Key studies on cancer epidemiology and prevention delivered both reassuring and not-so-reassuring findings on exposure to agents believed to be cancer-promoting. Kala Visvanathan, MD, MHS, of The Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and School of Public Health, Baltimore,...
The Language of Cancer
For more than a year, Don S. Dizon, MD, FACP, has been blogging at ASCO Connection (connection.asco.org) about such diverse topics as cancer survivorship, the redesign of clinical studies based on patients’ molecular characteristics, and the power of laughter. Last May, Dr. Dizon tackled the impact ...
Prone Position during Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer Is Associated with Reduced Irradiation to Lung and Heart
Preliminary data on prone positioning during whole-breast radiotherapy following breast-preservation surgery “suggest that radiation exposure to the heart and lung can be reduced compared with supine positioning with similar efficacy,” according to a research letter in the Journal of the American...
FDA Approves First Ultrasound Imaging System for Dense Breast Tissue
The FDA approved somo-v Automated Breast Ultrasound System (ABUS), the first ultrasound device for use in combination with a standard mammography in women with dense breast tissue who have a negative mammogram and no symptoms of breast cancer. The National Cancer Institute estimates that about 40% ...
New Drug Application Submitted for Regorafenib to Treat GIST
Bayer HealthCare and Onyx Pharmaceuticals recently announced that Bayer HealthCare has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the FDA for the oral multikinase inhibitor regorafenib for the treatment of metastatic and/or unresectable gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) in patients whose...
Pivotal Trials in Head and Neck Cancers Yield Mixed Results
The latest research in head and neck cancer reported at this year’s ASCO Annual Meeting presents a mixed picture, according to George R. Blumenschein, Jr, MD, Associate Professor at The Unviersity of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, who presented the data at the Best of ASCO San Diego...
Enzalutamide for Metastatic Castrate-resistant Prostate Cancer
In the Clinic provides overviews of novel oncology agents, addressing indications, mechanisms, administration recommendations, safety profiles, and other essential information needed for the appropriate clinical use of these drugs. Indication In August 31, enzalutamide (Xtandi) was approved for the ...
New ASCO Tobacco Cessation Practice Resources Will Offer Help for Providers as Well as Patients
It is well recognized that tobacco use increases the risk of several kinds of cancer. However, it is less well recognized that quitting tobacco remains important once an individual has been diagnosed with cancer, a common misconception held by oncologists and patients alike. Patients with cancer...
ASCO Achieves Highest Level of Accreditation for Continuing Medical Education Program
In July, ASCO was awarded “Accreditation with Commendation” (the highest level achievable) by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). Fewer than 25% of continuing medical education (CME) providers carry the “Commendation” status distinction, which signifies an...
Bosutinib in Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Patients with Resistance or Intolerance of Prior Therapy
In the Clinic provides overviews of novel oncology agents, addressing indications, mechanisms, administration recommendations, safety profiles, and other essential information needed for the appropriate clinical use of these drugs. Indication In September 4, 2012, bosutinib (Bosulif) was approved...
Pediatric Pathologist Sidney Farber, MD: The ‘Father of Modern Chemotherapy’ and Cofounder of the Jimmy Fund
In June 3, 1948, The New England Journal of Medicine published a study by Sidney Farber, MD, showing that a synthetic compound, 4-aminopteroylglutamic acid (aminopterin), could induce remissions in seriously ill children with acute leukemia.1 Although the study was small—just 16 children—10 showed...
Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Cancer
Cancer therapy, including radiation and chemotherapy, can be harmful to multiple organ systems. The central nervous system (CNS) has generally been considered less vulnerable to the toxic effects of cancer therapy. However, the use of more aggressive treatment modalities combined with prolonged...
In DCIS, Radiotherapy Benefits ‘Good Risk’ Patients
Radiation therapy will improve outcomes for patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), even if they are considered at low risk for recurrence, according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 9804 trial.1 But the follow-up time is short, and the findings still leave some wiggle room,...
SIDEBAR: Treatment Decisions for Locally Advanced NSCLC Draw on 'Art of Medicine'
With treatment advances, there are now fewer absolutes in managing locally advanced NSCLC, according to Dr. Reckamp. “We are moving toward treating performance status 2 patients, and obviously, that is a heterogeneous group of people,” she elaborated. “For those who need a lot of care, you need to...
