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November 20, 2008
Removing small colon polyps costly, unnecessary
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The surgical removal of small colon polyps found during computed tomography imaging of the colon, or CT colonography, is costly and unnecessary, according to a new study.
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November 20, 2008
Avastin® Linked with Increased Risk of Blood Clots
According to a combined analysis of previously published studies, cancer patients who use Avastin® (bevacizumab) may have an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (a blood clot in a vein). These results were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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November 20, 2008
Addition of Avastin® to Paraplatin®, Taxol®, and Erbitux® Promising for Advanced NSCLC
Researchers affiliated with the Southwest Oncology Group have reported that the four-drug combination of chemotherapy agents Paraplatin® (carboplatin) and Taxol® (paclitaxel) plus targeted therapies Avastin® (bevacizumab) and Erbitux® (cetuximab) is safe and may improve survival in patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The details of this study were presented at the 2008 Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology November 13-15.
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November 20, 2008
Avastin® Increases Risk of Venous Thromboembolism
Researchers from Stony Brook University have reported that the use of Avastin® (bevacizumab) increases the risk of thromboembolism. The details of this review were published in the November 19, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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November 19, 2008
Psychological Intervention May Improve Survival in Breast Cancer
Breast cancer patients who receive psychological intervention during treatment experience improved overall survival, as well as a reduced risk of cancer recurrence, according to the results of a study published in an early online issue of Cancer.
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November 19, 2008
High-dose Chemotherapy with Cerubidine® Significantly Prolongs Survival in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who receive high doses of Cerubidine® (daunorubicin) live significantly longer than patients who receive a standard dose of the same drug, according to preliminary results of a large, randomized clinical trial sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and conducted by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG).
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November 19, 2008
Gender and age impact stomach cancer prognosis
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older men and younger women fare worse with stomach, or "gastric" cancer than patients in other gender and age groups, research shows.
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November 19, 2008
Working in health care can be risky, study hints
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that health care workers are more likely to die from bloodborne infections and related illnesses than people working in other occupations.
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November 19, 2008
Radiation Delay Associated with Worse Outcome for Women with Localized Breast Cancer
Two recent studies have focused on the importance of timely and complete adjuvant radiation therapy in women with localized breast cancer. Researchers from Canada reported in an early online publication in the Journal of Clinical Oncology on November 17, 2008 that delaying radiation beyond 20 weeks adversely affects outcome in women with early-stage breast cancer not receiving chemotherapy. Researchers from Cornell Medical College reported that women with early-stage breast cancer receiving suboptimal radiotherapy had worse outcomes. The details of this study appeared in the December, 2008 issue of Cancer.
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November 19, 2008
Early-stage Head and Neck Cancer in Patients 80 Years of Age or Older Highly Treatable
Researchers from France have reported that patients 80 years of age or older with Stage I-II head and neck cancer have good outcomes following surgery or radiation therapy. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication in Cancer on October 17, 2008.
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November 19, 2008
Avastin raises risk of blood clots in veins: study
CHICAGO (Reuters) - The popular cancer drug Avastin raises the risk of blood clots in the veins by a third when added to chemotherapy, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.
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November 18, 2008
Canola oil diet lowers cancer risk for mom, baby
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Replacing corn oil with canola oil may lower cancer risk not only for women, but for their unborn babies, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.
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November 18, 2008
Broccoli helps prevent cancer in smokers - study
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Broccoli and similar vegetables appear to offer special protection from cancer for smokers, researchers reported on Tuesday.
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November 18, 2008
Diabetes drugs tied to lower prostate cancer risk
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Drugs used to control diabetes may lower the risk of prostate cancer, investigators at the University of Tampere in Finland report.
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November 18, 2008
Too little sleep tied to increased cancer risk
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Regular exercise can reduce a woman's risk of cancer, but the benefits may slip away if she gets too little sleep, U.S. researchers said on Monday.
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November 18, 2008
New study backs solvent, leukemia link
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Research from Italy provides new evidence that exposure to the industrial solvent benzene increases a person's risk of developing multiple myeloma.
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November 18, 2008
Novel Drug Combination May Improve Survival in Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
The four-drug combination of chemotherapy agents Paraplatin® (carboplatin) and Taxol® (paclitaxel) plus targeted therapies Avastin® (bevacizumab) and Erbitux® (cetuximab) is safe and may improve survival in patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to the results of a study presented at the 2008 Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology.
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November 18, 2008
Robotically-assisted Hysterectomy Appears Effective for Cervical Cancer
Robotically-assisted hysterectomy (RAH) in patients with early-stage cervical cancer is at least as effective as traditional open radical hysterectomy (ORH) and produces fewer complications, according to the results of a study published in the October 2008 issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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November 18, 2008
The 2008 Annual American Society of Clinical Oncology Breast Cancer Symposium
The 2008 annual American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Breast Cancer Symposium, held this year on September 5-7 in Washington, DC, delivered results encompassing advancements in screening, diagnosis, treatment, supportive care, and individualized therapies for patients with breast cancer. The event brought together world-renowned clinicians and researchers who are dedicated to improving outcomes for those diagnosed with breast cancer.
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November 18, 2008
Women may ignore cancer-related lymphedema: survey
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Many women who experience abnormal swelling of the arm or shoulder area following treatment for breast cancer -- a bothersome condition called lymphedema -- suffer in silence, a new survey indicate.
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November 18, 2008
Calcium plus Vitamin D Supplementation Is Not Associated with a Reduced Risk of Breast Cancer
Researchers affiliated with the Women’s Health Initiative clinical trial have reported that Calcium and vitamin D supplementation may not reduce the risk of breast cancer. The results of this study were published early online on November 10, 2008 issue in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. These data have been previously presented at the 2006 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
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November 18, 2008
Health groups lash U.S. states over tobacco efforts
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. states have not lived up to their commitment to devote a major portion of their huge legal settlement with the tobacco industry a decade ago on anti-smoking efforts, health advocacy groups said on Tuesday.
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November 18, 2008
Few Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes Entered on Clinical Trials
Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, and Amgen Inc. have reported that only 4% of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) were treated on clinical trials. The details of this study appeared in the November 5, 2008 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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November 17, 2008
Calcium plus Vitamin D Supplementation Is Not Associated with a Reduced Risk of Breast Cancer
Calcium and vitamin D supplementation may not reduce the risk of breast cancer, according to the results of a study recently published in an early online version of the November 2008 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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November 17, 2008
Magnesium impacts calcium's anti-cancer effect
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In the Calcium Polyp Prevention Study, calcium supplementation reduced the risk of recurrent colorectal adenomas -- growths or polyps that can become cancerous - only in men with a low dietary ratio of calcium to magnesium.
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November 17, 2008
"Gulf War Syndrome" is real, report finds
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A report released Monday concluded that "Gulf War Syndrome" is a legitimate condition suffered by more than 175,000 U.S. war veterans who were exposed to chemical toxins in the 1991 Gulf War.
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November 17, 2008
Family history key in figuring breast cancer risk
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Women with a family history of breast cancer but who test negative for two genetic mutations commonly linked to it still have a very high risk of developing the disease, Canadian researchers said on Monday.
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November 17, 2008
Children with cancer at risk of drug interactions
GRAMADO, Brazil (Reuters Health) - Potentially harmful drug interactions among children being treated for cancer might be far more prevalent than previously thought, new research suggests.
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November 17, 2008
Smoking plus gene variant raises breast cancer risk
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women with a particular gene mutation linked to breast cancer may further raise their risk of the disease if they smoke, a study has found.
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November 17, 2008
Smoking, drinking linked to throat, stomach cancer
LONDON (Reuters) - Drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes appear to increase the risk of certain common throat and stomach cancers, Dutch researchers reported on Monday.
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November 17, 2008
Aspirin may mask prostate cancer, study hints
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Middle-aged men who take aspirin or other "nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug" (NSAID) have significantly lower levels of a blood protein used to spot prostate cancer than men who don't take these widely used drugs, a study shows.
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November 17, 2008
HPV Vaccine Effective in Males
Researchers from the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center have reported that Gardasil® (Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus [Types 6, 11, 16, 18] Recombinant Vaccine), the vaccine approved for the prevention of cervical cancer and other HPV-related conditions in women, has now been shown to prevent genital lesions in men ages 16 to 26. The results of this pivotal Phase III study were presented at the November 12-15, 2008 European Research Organization on Genital Infection and Neoplasia (EUROGIN) International Multidisciplinary Conference in France.
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November 17, 2008
HPV Vaccine Effective in Males
Gardasil® (Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus [Types 6, 11, 16, 18] Recombinant Vaccine), the vaccine approved for the prevention of cervical cancer and other HPV-related conditions in women, has now been shown to prevent genital lesions in men ages 16 to 26. The results of this pivotal Phase III study were presented at the November 12-15, 2008 European Research Organization on Genital Infection and Neoplasia (EUROGIN) International Multidisciplinary Conference in France.
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November 17, 2008
Discovery offers way of tracking cancer in blood
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Tiny sacs released from tumor cells and circulating in the blood carry genetic information about the tumor, offering a new way to track and treat the cancer, U.S. researchers said on Sunday.
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November 17, 2008
Chemo-immunotherapy Not Better Than Chemotherapy Alone for Metastatic Melanoma
Researchers affiliated with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group trial 3695 have reported that the addition of interleukin-2 and Interferon-alfa to a regimen of cisplatin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine did not improve survival of patients with metastatic melanoma. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication in the Journal of Clinical Oncology on November 10, 2008.
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November 17, 2008
Vitamins C and E fail in cancer prevention study
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Men who took vitamin E or vitamin C supplements were no more or less likely to develop cancer than men given a placebo, indicating these antioxidants have no cancer-prevention value, U.S. researchers said on Sunday.
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November 17, 2008
Group therapy may extend lives of cancer patients
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Psychological group therapy for women with breast cancer may help them not only to cope better with their disease but also live longer, U.S. researchers said on Monday.
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November 14, 2008
U.S. menu labeling may be gaining steam
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A nationwide system requiring fast-food chains to list calories on their menus could be gaining support in Congress as more states adopt the practice and the restaurant industry concedes change is on the way, a consumer, industry and health panel said on Friday.
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November 14, 2008
Study IDs factors that help elderly thrive
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older adults who have never smoked, drink moderately and keep a positive outlook on life are more likely to stay healthy and happy for years, new research suggests.
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November 14, 2008
Liver cancer patients have high diabebes prevalence
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have a significantly higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) compared to the general population, according to findings from a case-control study conducted in Italy.
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November 14, 2008
Modern cancer drugs more likely to get to market
LONDON (Reuters) - Nearly one in five cancer drugs entering development now reach the market, a remarkably good success rate given the high level of failures in other disease areas, British researchers said on Friday.
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November 14, 2008
Crestor® Reduces Cardiovascular Risk in Healthy Individuals
In a large clinical trial, the cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor® (rosuvastatin) reduced the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke among individuals who did not have high cholesterol but who did have high levels of a marker of inflammation known as C-reactive protein. These results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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November 14, 2008
Outpatient Myeloablative Zevalin® Regimen with Autologous Stem Cell Infusion Well Tolerated and Effective for NHL
Researchers from Italy have described a relatively non-toxic myeloblative regimen of high-dose Zevalin® (Yttrium-90-Ibritumomab Tiuxetan) with tandem autologous stem cell infusion that appears effective for consolidation of patients with high-risk or relapsed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). The details of this study appeared in the November 10, 2008 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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November 14, 2008
Elderly Patients with Esophageal Cancer Tolerate Chemoradiotherapy
Researchers from France have reported that chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is an effective treatment and does not present major toxicity for elderly patients with esophageal cancer. The details of this study appeared in November 2008 issue of the British Journal of Cancer.
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November 13, 2008
Embryo preservation often works for cancer patients
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Freezing embryos before undergoing cancer treatment that may cause infertility is as successful for women with cancer as it is for women without cancer, new study findings indicate.
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November 13, 2008
Less than 20 percent in the U.S. smoke
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of U.S. adults who smoke has dropped below 20 percent for the first time on record but cigarettes still kill almost half a million people a year, health officials said on Thursday.
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November 13, 2008
Poor Compliance with Tamoxifen Leads to Higher Recurrence Rates
Researchers from St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in New York have reported that 37% of women with estrogen receptor-positive localized breast cancer are not compliant with prescribed tamoxifen (Nolvadex®), resulting in a higher rate of recurrent disease. The details of this study were published in the October, 2008 issue of the American Journal of Surgery.
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November 13, 2008
Elderly Patients with Esophageal Cancer Can Tolerate Chemoradiotherapy
Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is an effective treatment and does not present major toxicity for elderly patients with esophageal cancer, according to the results of a study released in an early online publication of the November issue of the British Journal of Cancer.
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November 13, 2008
Cervical cancer vaccine can protect men from HPV
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A vaccine designed to protect women and girls from cervical cancer caused by a virus that also causes genital warts may protect men, too, maker Merck and Co reported on Thursday.
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November 13, 2008
Bone marrow transplant suppresses AIDS in patient
BERLIN (Reuters) - A bone marrow transplant using stem cells from a donor with natural genetic resistance to the AIDS virus has left an HIV patient free of infection for nearly two years, German researchers.