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May 27, 2008
Early treatment of stomach bug may cut cancer risk
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Experiments in mice show that promptly treating a stomach infection that can trigger cancer seems to reduce the likelihood of that happening.
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April 2, 2008
No Treatment Advantage with Cisplatin for Gastric Cancer
Results from a recent study indicate that the addition of the drug cisplatin (Platinol®) did not improve response rates, survival rates, or progression-free survival for patients with gatric cancer. These findings were published in The Annals of Oncology.
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March 24, 2008
Combination of Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy Shows Promise for Gastric Cancer
A combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy (chemoimmunotherapy) may improve overall survival among gastric cancer patients. These findings were recently published in the Annals of Oncology.
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March 3, 2008
Combination Chemotherapy Has Potential as Standard Treatment for Advanced Gastric Cancer
A combination of S-1 and cisplatin chemotherapy may become the first-line therapy for patients with advanced gastric cancer. These findings were recently published in Lancet Oncology.
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February 27, 2008
Identification of Cellular Enzymes May Predict Prognosis of Gastric Cancer
An important enzyme known as histone deacetylase may contain useful information about the prognosis of gastric cancer. These findings were recently published in the Lancet.
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February 22, 2008
Low cholesterol linked to stomach cancer risk
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People with very low cholesterol levels seem to be at increased risk of developing stomach cancer, Japanese researchers report.
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February 1, 2008
Fruits and Vegetables Reduce Risk of Stomach Cancer
According to an article recently published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, diets higher in vegetables and fruits and lower in foods common in Western diets (such as processed meats, soft drinks, and sugars) can significantly reduce the risk of developing stomach cancer.
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January 8, 2008
Sutent® Approved for GIST
The United States Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has approved the new targeted agent Sutent® (sunitinib malate) for treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). The indication includes the use of Sutent for patients with GIST that has stopped responding to the standard treatment agent Gleevec® (imatinib mesylate) or for patients with GIST who cannot tolerate Gleevec. Sutent will be available for use on February 3, 2006.
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January 4, 2008
Xeloda® and Eloxatin® Evaluated in Esophageal and Gastric Cancers
According to the results of a Phase III clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine, it may be possible to replace 5-FU (5-fluorouracil) with Xeloda® (capecitabine) and to replace cisplatin (Platinol®) with Eloxatin® (oxaliplatin) in the treatment of advanced esophageal and gastric cancers.
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December 20, 2007
Female hormones may affect risk of stomach cancer
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women who have been fertile for a higher than average number of years, which occurs when menstruation begins early and menopause begins late, seem to be protected to some degree against developing stomach, or "gastric" cancer, according to a report in the journal Gut.
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November 29, 2007
Epstein-Barr Virus Not Associated with Gastric Cancer
According to an article recently published in the British Journal of Cancer, individuals infected with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) do not have an increased risk of gastric cancer.
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November 7, 2007
S-1 Chemotherapy Following Surgery Improves Survival in Gastric Cancer
According to an article recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine, treatment with the chemotherapy agent S-1 following surgery for Stages II-III gastric cancer improves survival compared with surgery alone with acceptable side effects.
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November 6, 2007
New versions of curry ingredient to fight cancer
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Scientists in Japan have created two synthetic versions of an ingredient in curry that is noted for its potential to fight cancer.
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September 21, 2007
PET Imaging May Help Guide Treatment of Esophageal and Gastric Cancers
According to the results of a study published in Lancet Oncology, use of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to evaluate response to neoadjuvant (before surgery) chemotherapy may help guide treatment of patients with cancer of the lower part of the esophagus or the upper part of the stomach (adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction).
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August 21, 2007
Incidence of Precancerous Changes to the Stomach is Declining
According to the results of a study conducted in the Netherlands and published in the journal Gut, the frequency of precancerous changes to the stomach (atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia, and dysplasia) is declining; this should result in a drop in stomach cancer rates in the future.
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June 4, 2007
Experimental combo helps stomach cancer patients
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Combining the experimental oral drug S-1 with cisplatin improved chances of survival in patients with stomach cancer compared with patient treated with S-1 alone, French drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis and Japan's Taiho Pharmaceutical said.
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April 23, 2007
More Chemotherapy Not Beneficial in Gastric Cancer
According to an article recently published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, intensive weekly chemotherapy with the regimen referred to as PELFw provides no benefit over the standard chemotherapy regimen consisting of 5FU/LV for treatment of patients with gastric cancer that is confined to the stomach or has spread to local lymph nodes.
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March 23, 2007
Interruption of Treatment with Gleevec® Not Recommended for GIST
According to an article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, interruption in treatment with Gleevec® (imatinib mesylate) is not recommended for patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) whose disease has appeared to stabilize.
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March 14, 2007
Airborne Exposure to Some Chemicals May Increase Stomach Cancer Risk
According to an article recently published in the International Journal of Cancer, airborne exposure to some occupational carcinogens appears to increase the risk of noncardia gastric cancer among men.
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February 26, 2007
Vitamin A may reduce stomach cancer risk
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - High intakes of vitamin A apparently reduce the risk of developing gastric cancer, Swedish researchers report.
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January 23, 2007
Oral Agent May Reduce Risk of Recurrences in Early Gastric Cancer
According to a press release from Sanofi-Aventis and results presented at the 2007 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, the addition of the investigative agent S-1 following surgery significantly improves recurrence-free survival compared to surgery alone in the treatment of early gastric cancer.
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January 17, 2007
No Beneficial Effect of Vitamin Supplementation on Precancerous Changes to the Stomach
According to the results of a clinical trial conducted in Venezuela, supplementation with vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene does not significantly affect the progression or regression of precancerous changes to the stomach. These results were published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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November 13, 2006
Addition of Taxotere® to Platinol®/5-FU as Initial Therapy in Advanced Gastric Cancer Improves Survival
According to results recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the addition of Taxotere® (docetaxel) to Platinol® (cisplatin) and 5-fluorouracil improves survival compared to Platinol/5-FU alone as initial therapy for advanced gastric cancer. These results were also presented at the 2005 annual Chemotherapy Foundation Symposium.
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November 8, 2006
Higher Hospital Volume Linked with Better Survival After Gastrointestinal Surgery
According to the results of a study conducted in Taiwan, patients with stomach, liver, colorectal, or esophageal cancers have better survival after surgery if the surgery is performed in a hospital that handles a greater number of these surgeries. These results were published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology.
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November 7, 2006
Learning Curve for Surgeons Performing Gastrectomies for Gastric Cancer
According to an article recently published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology, surgeons who perform 23 or more gastrectomies (partial or complete removal of the stomach and lymph nodes) have improved surgical outcomes among patients with gastric cancer.
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October 20, 2006
H.Pylori Increases Risk of Cancer in Lower Part of Stomach but Decreases Risk in Higher Part of Stomach
According to an article recently published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, infection with helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) increases the risk of developing cancer in the lower portion of the stomach; however, it decreases the risk of developing cancer in the upper portion of the stomach.
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August 2, 2006
Further Data Suggesting Processed Meats Increase Risk of Stomach Cancer
According to results recently published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, large intake of processed meats appears to be associated with an increased risk of developing gastric cancer.
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July 28, 2006
Fermented or Smoked-dried Salted Meats and Fish Appear to Increase the Risk of Stomach Cancer
According to an article recently published in the Journal of Gastroenterology, high consumption of fermented pork fat and smoked-dried salted meat or fish is associated with an approximate three-fold increase in the risk of developing gastric cancer.
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July 28, 2006
Treatment of H. Pylori Infection Reduces Risk of Precancerous Changes to the Stomach
According to the results of a study conducted in China and published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, treatment of H. pylori infection reduced the risk of precancerous changes to the stomach. Long-term treatment with vitamin or garlic supplements had no effect.
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July 13, 2006
ECF Chemotherapy Prior to and Following Surgery Improves Survival in Early Gastric and Esophageal Cancer
According to results recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine, treatment with the chemotherapy combination referred to as ECF (Ellence®, Platinol®, 5-FU) prior to and following surgery improves progression-free survival and overall survival compared to surgery alone among patients with early stomach or esophageal cancers.
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June 22, 2006
Eloxatin® May Be Superior to Platinol® in Gastric Cancer
According to results from a late-breaking abstract presented at the 42nd annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the chemotherapy regimen including Eloxatin® (oxaplatin) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) appears superior to the chemotherapy regimen Platinol® (cisplatin) and 5-FU in patients with advanced gastric cancer.
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June 5, 2006
Obesity Linked with Esophageal and Gastric Cardia Adenocarcinoma
A combined analysis of previously published studies suggests a link between high body mass index and adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and, possibly, of the gastric cardia. These results were published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention.
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May 22, 2006
Surgery in Responding Patients Feasible for GIST
According to an article recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the surgical removal of remaining cancer may improve survival for patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors who achieve anticancer responses to systemic therapy. However, patients whose cancer progresses on systemic therapy do not appear to benefit from surgery.
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May 12, 2006
Gleevec® May Inhibit Bone Growth
Although Gleevec® (imatinib mesylate) has improved survival for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia, a small study suggests that Gleevec may interfere with bone formation. These results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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April 24, 2006
Vaccine Improves Survival in Responding Patients with Gastric Cancer
According to an article recently published in the journal Cancer, patients with advanced gastric cancer who respond to a vaccine that stimulates the immune system to help fight cancer demonstrate significantly improved survival compared to patients who do not respond to the vaccine.
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April 6, 2006
Xeloda® Effective in Gastric Cancer
According to a press release by Roche, the chemotherapy agent Xeloda® (capecitabine) appears to be just as effective as 5-fluorouracil in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer when used in combination with Platinol® (cisplatin).
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March 30, 2006
Surgery for Residual GIST May Improve Outcomes
According to a study published in the Journal of Surgical Oncology, patients with initially inoperable and/or metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) that respond to treatment with Gleevec® (imatinib mesylate) may benefit from surgical removal of remaining cancer.
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March 30, 2006
Phase II Trial of Taxotere® and Xeloda® for Metastatic Gastric Cancer
According to the results of a phase II clinical trial published in the Annals of Oncology, treatment of metastatic adenocarcinoma of the stomach or gastroesophageal junction with the chemotherapy drugs Taxotere® (docetaxel) and Xeloda® (capecitabine) reduced or eliminated detectable cancer in 39% of patients.
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March 24, 2006
Taxotere® Approved for Advanced Gastric Cancer
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the chemotherapy agent Taxotere® (docetaxel) for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer.
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March 16, 2006
Survival Benefit with Greater Extent of Surgery in Gastric Cancer
According to an early online publication in the Lancet Oncology, patients with gastric cancer who undergo surgery have improved survival when lymph nodes are removed to a greater extent.
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March 7, 2006
Meat Intake Linked with Stomach Cancer
According to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, higher intake of red or processed meats was linked with an increased risk of developing noncardia gastric cancer (stomach cancer that develops below the upper part of the stomach).
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February 16, 2006
Presence of H.Pylori Associated with Improved Outcomes for Patients with Early Gastric Cancer
According to a recent early online publication in The Lancet Oncology, the presence of the infection Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) is associated with improved survival and relapse-free survival in patients with gastric cancer who undergo surgery.
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January 4, 2006
Crohn’s Disease Increases Risk of Intestinal Cancer
According to a combined analysis of six studies, individuals with Crohn’s disease have an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer and small intestine cancer. These results were published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.
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November 3, 2005
Addition of Taxotere® to Standard Chemotherapy Improves Survival in Advanced Gastric Cancer
The addition of Taxotere® (docetaxel) to the standard combination of 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin improves overall survival and quality of life among patients with advanced gastric cancer, according to study results presented at the 2005 annual Chemotherapy Foundation Symposium in New York.
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October 31, 2005
Levels of CEA Associated with Survival and Recurrences in Early Gastric Cancer
According to results presented in the British Journal of Cancer, levels of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) found in a peritoneal wash is highly indicative of the risk of a cancer recurrence and survival in patients with early gastric cancer.
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September 19, 2005
Gene Expression Profiling Predicts Survival in Early Gastric Cancer
According to a recent early on-line article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the use of three specific genes in gene expression profiling provides high accuracy in predicting survival in patients with early gastric (stomach) cancer following surgery alone. Patients with a poor prognosis may wish to pursue more aggressive therapy following surgery, while those with a good prognosis may be spared from unnecessary treatment.
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August 17, 2005
Increased Doses of Gleevec® for Gleevec-Resistant Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST) Effective
According to a recent article published in the European Journal of Cancer, increasing doses of Gleevec® (imatinib) provides anti-cancer activity in patients diagnosed with Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST) that had stopped responding to lower doses of the drug.
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August 10, 2005
Combination Chemotherapy May Improve Outcome of Advanced Carcinoid Tumor
The Journal of Clinical Oncology has recently published an article that finds that a combination of the chemotherapy drugs 5-fluorouaracil (5-FU) and streptozocin improved overall survival rates of patients with carcinoid tumors.
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May 23, 2005
Protein Mutations May Predict Outcomes for GIST Patients Treated with Gleevec®
During a recent presentation at the 2005 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, researchers reported that mutations in the cell to cell communicators known as KIT, are strongly associated with response rates and time to progression in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) who are treated with the drug Gleevec (imatinib mesylate).
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February 8, 2005
Lab Test Shows Promise for Detecting Gastric Cancer Recurrence
A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Oncology reports that a lab test analyzing a cancer marker known as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) may be useful in identifying patients who may be at risk for recurrence of gastric cancer.