Search Results
Your search for ,had matches 18605 pages
Showing 13501 - 13550Factors Associated With Early Mortality in Patients Receiving Adjuvant Therapy for Colon Cancer
In an analysis of the ACCENT (Adjuvant Colon Cancer Endpoints) database reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Cheung et al found that factors associated with early mortality in patients in trials of adjuvant systemic therapy included age, performance status, tumor grade, stage, and ratio of ...
Single-Center Study Evaluates Proton Radiotherapy for Pediatric Medulloblastoma
In a phase II study reported in The Lancet Oncology by Yock et al, use of proton radiotherapy for pediatric medulloblastoma was associated with acceptable long-term toxic effects and good survival outcomes. Study Details In the study, 59 patients aged 3 to 21 years were treated at...
2016 Quality Care Symposium: New Triage System Decreases Emergency Room Visits by Oncology Patients in Florida
A quality improvement initiative to reduce patients’ reliance on emergency room (ER) visits to treat cancer treatment side effects has shown to be highly effective, according to early findings from a new study. The strategy, involving a telephone triage service coupled with patient education, ...
2016 Quality Care Symposium: Study Suggests Many Women With Early Breast Cancer Receive Unnecessary Imaging Tests
A new study suggests that up to 60% of the computed tomography (CT) scans, bone scans, and positron-emission tomography (PET) scans performed for more than 29,000 Michigan women diagnosed with early breast cancer between 2008 and 2014 could not be medically justified based on retrospective record...
Study Finds No Adverse Impact of Minimally Invasive Hysterectomy on Long-Term Survival in Endometrial Cancer
Use of minimally invasive hysterectomy did not seem to have an adverse impact on long-term survival in women with endometrial cancer, according to an analysis reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Wright et al. Study Details The study involved Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result...
Phase III Trial Shows No Benefit of Afatinib vs Trastuzumab Plus Vinorelbine in HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer
In the phase III LUX-Breast 1 trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Harbeck et al found no benefit of afatinib (Gilotrif)/vinorelbine vs trastuzumab (Herceptin)/vinorelbine after previous trastuzumab treatment in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Broader inhibition of ErbB...
FDA Approves Obinutuzumab in Follicular Lymphoma
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved obinutuzumab (Gazyva) for use in combination with bendamustine (Bendeka, Treanda) followed by obinutuzumab monotherapy for the treatment of patients with follicular lymphoma who relapsed after, or are refractory to, a rituximab...
Weight and Height During Adolescence May Impact Future Risk of Developing Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
A new analysis indicates that higher body weight and taller stature during adolescence increase the risk of developing Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). The findings were published by Leiba et al in Cancer. Rates of NHL have increased worldwide, and research suggests that rising rates of obesity may be...
Single-Center Trial Indicates No Benefit of Hepatic Artery Chemoembolization vs Embolization in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
In a phase II study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Brown et al found no apparent benefit of hepatic artery chemoembolization using doxorubicin-eluting microspheres vs embolization with microspheres alone in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Study Details In the trial, 101...
Improved Melanoma-Specific Survival Reported With Wider Excision Margin in High-Risk Primary Melanoma
Wider excision margins in high-risk primary cutaneous melanoma were associated with improved melanoma-specific survival, according to long-term follow-up in a UK-led trial reported by Hayes et al in The Lancet Oncology. No significant improvement in overall survival was observed. The initial report ...
Quality Improvement Projects Aim at Reducing Errors in Prescribing IV and Oral Chemotherapy
Two quality improvement projects described in the Journal of Oncology Practice resulted in reduced errors in prescribing intravenous (IV) and oral chemotherapy. A project at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston outpatient infusion centers first identified 15 different types of...
Increased Cancer Mortality Among Recipients of Solid-Organ Transplants
Solid-organ transplant recipients have a higher rate of cancer mortality than that expected in the general population, according to a Canadian study published in JAMA Oncology. Cancer mortality among transplant recipients “was significantly elevated compared with the Ontario population,” with a...
Eye Movement Affected in Some Former Childhood Cancer Patients
A study from Lund University in Sweden has shown that commonly used chemotherapy toxins impair the eyesight in childhood cancer survivors in a way that indicates an impact on the central nervous system. The results were published by Einarsson et al in PLOS One. It was not the former patients' ...
Minimal Residual Disease Identified by NPM1 Mutation May Be Prognostic Marker for Poorer Outcome in Standard-Risk AML
In a study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Ivey et al found that a leukemia-specific marker consisting of a mutation in the gene encoding nucleophosmin (NPM1) can be used to identify minimal residual disease in peripheral blood in standard-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML), with...
Chemotherapy Preferable to Radiotherapy to Reduce Distant Pancreatic Cancer Recurrences
Patients who received chemotherapy after surgical resection of pancreatic cancer have fewer distant disease recurrences and longer overall survival than those who also had adjuvant chemoradiation therapy. While a course of radiotherapy in addition to chemotherapy and a cancer operation reduced the...
Patients Diagnosed With Stage I to III Rectal Cancer at Younger Age Have Increased Risk for Positive Lymph Nodes
Patients diagnosed with stage I to III rectal cancer at a younger age are at increased risk of having positive lymph nodes, according to an analysis of data published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. “This finding merits further investigation and may ultimately impact treatment...
FDA Approves Palbociclib in Combination With Fulvestrant in Hormone Receptor–Positive, HER2-Negative Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer
On February 19, 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved palbociclib (Ibrance) in combination with fulvestrant for the treatment of women with hormone receptor–positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)–negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer with...
No Survival Benefit of Pemetrexed/Cisplatin Chemoradiation vs Standard Treatment in Nonresectable Stage III NSCLC
As reported by Senan et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the phase III PROCLAIM trial showed no significant improvement in overall survival for chemoradiation with pemetrexed (Alimta)/cisplatin vs etoposide/cisplatin followed by consolidation pemetrexed vs a platinum-based doublet in...
2016 Head and Neck Cancer Symposium: Chemoradiation May Increase Survival for a Subset of Elderly Head and Neck Cancer Patients
The addition of chemotherapy to radiation therapy improves survival rates among a subset of elderly head and neck cancer patients, specifically those aged 71 to 79 with low comorbidity scores and advanced disease stage, according to research presented by Amini et al at the 2016 Multidisciplinary...
2016 Head and Neck Cancer Symposium: Most Recurrences of HPV-Positive Oropharyngeal Cancer Can Be Found Within 6 Months
For patients treated with definitive radiation therapy for oropharyngeal cancer caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), the majority of recurrences can be detected by post-treatment imaging at 3 months and physical exams during the 6 months following treatment, according to research presented by...
Men Get Breast Cancer Too
Like many men, it never occurred to me that I could get breast cancer. But it turns out it is more common—and deadly—than I thought, with about 2,600 men diagnosed each year with invasive breast cancer and nearly 440 dying of the disease.1 In 2010, I became one of those men, and the diagnosis was...
A Surgeon’s Inspiring Journey to Death
Every so often, a memoir comes along in which the story speaks to universal themes. For that magic to occur, the author must step aside at times and let others tell their story, too. Moreover, the writing must be clear, vibrant, and above all else honest to the core. The recently published memoir...
Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab in Unresectable or Metastatic Melanoma Regardless of BRAF Mutation Status
On January 23, 2016, the indication for nivolumab (Opdivo) plus ipilimumab (Yervoy) in unresectable or metastatic melanoma was expanded through accelerated approval to include patients regardless of BRAF V600 mutation status.1 The combination was previously approved for treatment of patients with...
Failure of Updated Dietary Guidelines to Advise Limiting Red and Processed Meat Deemed a ‘Missed Opportunity’
“A missed opportunity” is how Susan Higginbotham, PhD, RD, Vice President for Research, American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), described the “failure” of updated dietary guidelines to recommend limiting consumption of red and processed meat. Doing so would have “the potential to save...
Selected Abstracts From 2015 ASH Annual Meeting: Part 3
Here are several more abstracts selected from the proceedings of the 2015 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition, focusing on newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, and amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis. For other selected abstracts...
ASCO Announces New Award Recognizing Extraordinary Contributions to Cancer Survivorship Care
ASCO has announced the creation of the Ellen L. Stovall Award and Lecture for Advancement of Cancer Survivorship Care, intended to recognize and promote the work of pioneers and leaders in the growing field of survivorship. The first award will be presented at the 2017 Cancer Survivorship...
Candid Discussions on Living With and After Cancer at An Evening for Cancer Survivors and Caregivers
On January 14, 2016, the Cancer Survivorship Symposium opened with An Evening for Cancer Survivors and Caregivers, an event featuring networking, a panel discussion, and an open forum to share the challenges of living with or after a cancer diagnosis. The audience included Symposium attendees as...
Management of Advanced Lung Cancer in the Elderly: A Reason to Rejoice or a Cause for Concern?
There is ample evidence to suggest that older adults with a good performance status (0 or 1) with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) should be treated with combination chemotherapy akin to younger patients.1,2 However, older adults comprise a heterogeneous group that has been...
Ofatumumab for Extended Treatment of Patients With Recurrent or Progressive Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
On January 19, 2016, ofatumumab (Arzerra) was approved for extended treatment of patients in complete or partial response after at least two lines of therapy for recurrent or progressive chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).1,2 Ofatumumab was previously approved for treatment of untreated patients...
Expert Point of View: Elizabeth Plimack, MD
The Egyptian study presented by Brian Baumann, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, was a “valiant effort” to determine whether sequential adjuvant chemotherapy added to adjuvant radiation would improve disease-free survival, said formal discussant of this trial Elizabeth Plimack,...
Adjuvant Chemoradiotherapy in Locally Advanced Bladder Cancer: Hint of Benefit That Needs Confirmation
Adjuvant sequential chemotherapy plus radiation therapy and adjuvant radiation therapy alone significantly improved local tumor control compared with adjuvant chemotherapy alone in locally advanced bladder cancer but the improvement in disease-free survival (3-year disease-free survival of 68% vs...
Genomic, Molecular Differences in Tumor Biology May Explain Inferior Survival in African Americans With Kidney Cancer
African Americans who develop metastatic renal cell carcinoma have had worse survival historically than whites. With the advent of targeted therapy, the hope is that the gap in survival would be narrowed. However, a new study has shown that survival for African Americans with metastatic renal cell...
Active Holistic Surveillance May Prevent Unnecessary Biopsies in Low- and Low/Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer
The use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening has led to a dramatic rise in the number of men diagnosed with low-grade prostate cancer. Active surveillance is recommended to manage patients with favorable-risk, low-grade prostate cancer, with the goal of avoiding overtreatment of these...
2016 Head and Neck Cancer Symposium: Uninsured and Medicaid Patients More Likely to Present With Advanced Tumors, Experience Cancer-Specific Mortality
Compared to patients with non-Medicaid insurance, uninsured patients and patients with Medicaid are more likely to present with advanced stages of head and neck cancer and have higher overall and cancer-specific mortality rates, according to research presented by Churilla et al at the 2016...
2016 Head and Neck Cancer Symposium: Cost-Coping Strategies and Perceived Social Isolation in Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer
The majority of patients with locally advanced head and neck cancers rely on cost-coping strategies that alter their lifestyle in order to manage the financial burden of their care, according to research presented by Kung et al at the 2016 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium (Abstract...
New Technology to Characterize Circulating Tumor Cells Suggests Better Treatment Decision-Making in Prostate Cancer
An early study showed that an experimental blood test (ie, “liquid biopsy”) that characterizes the phenotype and genomic characteristics of circulating tumor cells appears to have utility in personalizing treatment decisions for individual men with advanced prostate cancer.1 The assay—developed and ...
Study Finds Abnormal Insulin and Glucose Dynamics in Childhood Survivors Treated With Abdominal Radiation
An ongoing pilot study, designed to assess dynamic indices of insulin and glucose homeostasis in childhood cancer survivors exposed to abdominal radiation, has found a variety of derangements in glucose and insulin homeostasis in this cohort.1 According to an analysis presented at the 2016 Cancer...
Clinic-Based Weight-Loss Intervention Successful in Cancer Survivors
A randomized clinical trial examining the effect of a 15-week healthy living program on weight loss in cancer survivors showed a 5.3% decrease in baseline body weight in those participating in the program.1 “Cancer survivors randomized to a 15-week clinic-based weight-loss intervention lost an...
Detection of Thyroid Cancer Most Cost-Effective With Physical Examination, Not Ultrasound Screening
A study evaluating annual physical examination as a screening method to detect thyroid cancer in cancer survivors exposed to neck radiation has shown a substantial cost reduction compared with ultrasound screening, with no thyroid cancer–related mortality.1 According to the analysis, this method...
Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity Among Oncology Surgeons Do Not Necessarily Result in Culturally Competent Care
A survey of oncology surgeons from six hospitals in Washington State found that the surgeons in the sample “displayed and valued cultural awareness and sensitivity” but that “cultural awareness and sensitivity did not necessarily result in culturally competent behavior.”...
Carboplatin/Paclitaxel Tops Oxaliplatin/Capecitabine as Neoadjuvant Regimen for Esophageal Cancer
The United Kingdom’s phase II NEOSCOPE trial compared the toxicity and efficacy of two preoperative chemoradiation regimens—carboplatin/paclitaxel and oxaliplatin/capecitabine—and judged one to be the winner. “CarPacRT passed the prespecified efficacy criteria for taking forward to phase III, but...
2016 Head and Neck Cancer Symposium: Study Maps Distinct Molecular Signatures of HPV-Positive Throat Cancer by Smoking Status
Patients with throat cancer exposed to both human papillomavirus (HPV) and tobacco smoke demonstrate a pattern of mutations along several key cancer genes, according to research presented by Zevallos et al at the 2016 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium (Abstract 1). These distinct...
Radiotherapy for Rectal Cancer: Study Reports No Risk for Subsequent Pelvic Tumors
Second malignancies were not more common among patients who underwent radiotherapy for rectal cancer. In fact, radiotherapy appeared to offer some degree of protection against subsequent cancers, according to the findings of a study from the Netherlands reported at the 2016 Gastrointestinal Cancers ...
Serum Tumor Marker Testing Overused, Especially for Solid Tumors
A retrospective review to evaluate the frequency of serum tumor marker testing “found a high rate of serum tumor marker testing overuse and extreme overuse in patients with advanced solid tumors,” Melissa K. Accordino, MD, of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New...
Expert Point of View: Bertram Wiedenmann, MD, PhD and Markus Moehler, MD, PhD
Commenting on the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/PD-1 ligand (PD-L1) antibodies in tumors with mismatch repair deficiency, Bertram Wiedenmann, MD, PhD, Professor of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany, suggested, “The efficacy of pembrolizumab...
Receipt of Adjuvant Therapy at High-Volume Center Improves Survival in Patients With Pancreatic Cancer
Patients with pancreatic cancer who received adjuvant chemotherapy at a high-volume center had superior median and 5-year overall survival than did patients who were treated in a community setting, according to the results of a study presented at the 2016 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.1 This...
Surveillance for Recurrence and Second Cancers: Guidelines and Caveats
Striking the right balance between under- and oversurveillance of cancer survivors is challenging, and oncology providers are best served by knowing and following guidelines—though they can change often. Cancer recurrence and second cancers are two of the major threats to the health of cancer...
Antithymocyte Globulin Reduces Need for Immunosuppressants After Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation From Unrelated Donors
In a phase III trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Walker et al found that treatment with antithymocyte globulin reduced the need for immunosuppressive therapy in patients with hematologic malignancies receiving hematopoietic cell transplantation from unrelated donors. Study Details In this...
Inherited Genetic Variations That Lead to Severe Drug Toxicity in Pediatric Leukemia Discovered
An international research team has determined how inherited gene variations lead to severe drug toxicity that may threaten chances for a cure in children with leukemia. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital scientists led the study, results of which set the stage to expand the use of a...
Autoantibodies May Help Detect Lung Cancer Earlier
Preliminary research has identified autoantibodies—immune proteins found in the blood specific for one's own proteins—that can potentially detect lung cancer early by distinguishing between smokers with or without lung cancer and can also discriminate between lung cancer and low-dose...
