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November 20, 2009
ACOG Updates Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has revised its cervical cancer screening recommendations: the organization now recommends that women begin screening at the age of 21 and receive screening at less frequent intervals. These recommendations will be published in the December 2009 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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November 20, 2009
New Velcade®-melphalan Transplant Regimen for Multiple Myeloma
Researchers from France have reported encouraging results with adding Velcade® (bortezomib) to high-dose melphalan followed by autologus stem cell infusion for initial treatment of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. The details of this Phase II study appeared in an early online publication in Blood on November 2, 2009.
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November 20, 2009
Folic Acid May Be Beneficial in Patients with Recurrent Colorectal Adenoma Who Are Folate Deficient
Researchers affiliated with the Health Professional Follow-Up Study and the Nurses’ Health Study have reported that folic acid supplementation in patients with recurrent colorectal adenoma was not protective or harmful in most patients. However, patients who were folate deficient had a significant 39% decrease in adenoma recurrence. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication on October 28, 2009 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
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November 20, 2009
Prospective Study Confirms that MRI Detects More Breast Cancers in High-risk Women
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have reported that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is superior to digital mammography or ultrasound for the detection of breast cancer in high-risk women. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication in the Journal of Clinical Oncology on November 2, 2009.
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November 20, 2009
Obesity in adolescence may increase girls' MS risk
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A woman's risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) during her lifetime is doubled if she was obese at age 18, new research shows.
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November 20, 2009
Reflux might be immune condition, rat study finds
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Acid reflux, a common condition that has been highly profitable for the makers of antacid drugs, may not be caused by stomach acid at all, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.
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November 20, 2009
New guidelines: Pap smears should start at age 21
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Women in the United States should start cervical cancer screening at age 21 and most do not need an annual Pap smear, according to new guidelines issued on Friday that aim to reduce the risk of unnecessary treatment.
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November 19, 2009
You eat less fat, caffeine, cheese - is salt next?
SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) - You never consume trans fats, have reduced caffeine, and rarely eat cheese. What's next to banish from the menu? Salt, if consumer trend tracker Mintel is right.
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November 19, 2009
Patterns of Use of Erythropoiesis-stimulating Agents in Medicare Population Reported
Researchers from Columbia Medical Center have reported that by 2002, 45.9% of Medicare recipients with common cancers were treated with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) such a Procrit® (epoetin alfa) and Aranesp® (darbepoietin). The details of this study appeared in an early online publication in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute on November 10, 2009.
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November 19, 2009
The Incidence of Smoking-related Bladder Cancer May Be Increasing
Researchers from the National Cancer Institute and Dartmouth Medical School have reported that the risk of developing smoking-related bladder cancer has increased in New Hampshire over the risk observed in the 1990s. The details of this study appeared in the November 18, 2009 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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November 19, 2009
Folic Acid and Vitamin B12 Increase Risk of Cancer in Patients with Heart Disease
Researchers from Norway have reported that folic acid and B12 supplements in patients with ischemic heart disease increase the risk of cancer and all-cause mortality. The details of this study appeared in the November 18, 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Society.
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November 19, 2009
UK's NICE says Bayer liver cancer drug too costly
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's health watchdog has blocked a critical liver cancer drug, saying it is too pricey for the state health service, leaving manufacturer Bayer vowing to appeal the decision.
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November 19, 2009
Health issues in middle age can lead to dementia
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who smoke or who have high blood pressure or diabetes in middle age are more likely to develop dementia, a new study has found.
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November 18, 2009
Intravesical Taxotere® Maintenance Therapy May Improve Treatment of Superficial Bladder Cancer Refractory to BCG
Researchers from Columbia University have reported that induction and maintenance therapy with intravesical Taxotere® (docetaxel) is well tolerated and effective for treatment of patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer who are refractory to Bacilli Calmette-Guerin (BCG) therapy. The details of this study were reported in the October 2009 issue of British Journal of Urology International.
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November 18, 2009
Physical Activity May Reduce Risk of Developing Prostate Cancer
Researchers from U.S. and European medical centers have reported that not sitting during work, occupational activity, walking, and biking can reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer. The details of this study were published early online on October 27, 2009 in the British Journal of Cancer.
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November 18, 2009
HHS says U.S. policy on mammograms unchanged
CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. health officials on Wednesday distanced themselves from controversial new breast cancer screening guidelines that recommend against routine mammograms for healthy women in their 40s and said federal policy on screening mammograms has not changed.
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November 18, 2009
The depressed are more apt to get opioids for pain
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who suffer from depression are much more likely to be prescribed powerful opioid painkillers like morphine and codeine and to stay on the drugs long-term, new research shows.
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November 18, 2009
Pertuzumab plus Gemzar® Active in Platinum-resistant Ovarian Cancer
Researchers involved in an international randomized trial have reported that pertuzumab may add to the activity of Gemzar® (gemcitabine) for the treatment of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication in the Journal of Clinical Oncology on November 9, 2009.
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November 18, 2009
Folic acid supplements may raise cancer risk: study
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Heart patients in Norway -- where unlike many countries foods are not enriched with folic acid -- were more likely to die from cancer if they took folic acid and vitamin B12 supplements compared with those who did not take them, Norwegian researchers said on Tuesday.
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November 17, 2009
New U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations on Breast Cancer Screening
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has released new guidelines for breast cancer screening that increase the interval between screenings for most women. The details of these new guidelines were published in the November 17, 2009 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine and received prominent first page review in the November 17, 2009 issue of the New York Times.
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November 17, 2009
Making Sense of New Mammography Recommendations
The U.S. Preventive Services Tasks Force (USPSTF) has reversed its position on screening mammography for women in their 40s: the group no longer recommends routine screening mammography for average-risk women in this age group. The American Cancer Society, however, has stated that it will continue to recommend annual mammograms starting at the age of 40.
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November 17, 2009
Crestor shows equal or better benefit to women
ORLANDO, Fla.(Reuters) - A fresh look at data from a landmark study showed that AstraZeneca's powerful cholesterol fighter Crestor dramatically cut deaths, heart attacks and strokes in women at least as much as in men, providing new evidence of the drug's benefits in a previously understudied population.
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November 17, 2009
Regimen of Radiotherapy, Temodar®, Avastin®, and Camptosar® Effective for Glioblastoma
Researchers from Duke University have reported that a regimen of radiotherapy (RT), Temodar® (temozolomide), and Avastin® (bevacizumab) followed by Camptosar® (irinotecan), Temodar, and Avastin after RT was well tolerated and effective for treating patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. The details of this Phase II study were presented at the 2009 meeting of the American Society of Radiation Therapy and Oncology (ASTRO) in the first week of November.
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November 17, 2009
Elderly Patients with Bulky NHL Who Achieve a PR to Chemotherapy May Benefit from Local Radiotherapy
Researchers from Germany have reported that elderly patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) with bulky disease who achieve a partial response (PR) after chemotherapy may benefit from local radiotherapy. The details of this study were presented at the 2009 meeting of the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) in the first week of November.
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November 17, 2009
Lyrica® Decreases Hot Flashes in Women with Breast Cancer
Researchers from the Mayo Clinic have reported that Lyrica® (pregabalin, [S]-3-[aminomethyl]-5-methylhexanoic acid) is effective for the treatment of hot flashes in women with breast cancer. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication on November 9, 2009 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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November 17, 2009
Experts question motives of mammogram guidelines
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Cancer experts fear new U.S. breast imaging guidelines that recommend against routine screening mammograms for women in their 40s may have their roots in the current drive in Washington to reform healthcare.
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November 16, 2009
New US guidelines: routine mammograms start at 50
CHICAGO, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Sweeping new U.S. breast cancer guidelines released on Monday recommend against routine mammograms for women in their 40s, and suggest women 50 to 74 only get a mammogram every other year.
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November 16, 2009
Presence of Rash Associated with Improved Survival in Patients Receiving Adjuvant Erbitux® for Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer
A multicenter randomized trial has shown that patients with locoregionally advanced head and neck cancer receiving adjuvant Erbitux® (cetuximab) and radiotherapy who develop a rash have a better survival than patients receiving this therapy who don’t develop a rash. The details of this five-year follow-up of a Phase III randomized study were published early online in the Lancet Oncology on November 7, 2009.
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November 16, 2009
Persistent Pain Common After Breast Cancer Surgery
Researchers from Denmark have reported that pain and sensory disturbances persist for two to three years after breast cancer surgery. The details of this study were published in the November 11, 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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November 16, 2009
Persistent Pain Common After Breast Cancer Surgery
Two to three years after breast cancer surgery, persistent pain continues to affect close to half of all women. The results of this study, which was conducted in Denmark, were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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November 16, 2009
Slow walkers more likely to die of heart disease
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Slow walking may not only mean getting to your destination later, according to a new study by French scientists: Older people who walk slowly are almost three times more likely to die of heart disease and related causes than older people who walk faster.
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November 13, 2009
High-dose Mixed Proton and Photon Radiotherapy May Improve Treatment of Prostate Cancer
Researchers affiliated with the Proton Radiation Oncology Group (PROG)/American College of Radiology (ACR) 95-09 study have reported that mixed proton and photon radiotherapy improves outcomes of patients with low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer. The details of this randomized trial were presented at the 2009 meeting of the American Society of Radiation Therapy and Oncology (ASTRO) in the first week of November.
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November 13, 2009
Early Morning Colonoscopies Detect More Polyps
Researchers affiliated with the Veterans Administration of greater Los Angeles have reported that a greater number of polyps was detected among patients seen early in the morning than among patients seen later in the day. The reasons for this are uncertain, but it’s possible that the lower rate of polyp detection later in the day is the result of provider fatigue or less complete bowel preparation. These results were published in November, 2009 issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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November 13, 2009
Primary Care Physicians May Be Ordering More Pap Smears Than Necessary
Researchers from the National Institutes of Health have reported that primary care physicians overuse Pap smear testing and are not following current recommendations. The details of this study appeared in the November 3, 2009 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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November 13, 2009
Cervical cancer vaccine hope for African women
DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - So crammed is Tanzania's only cancer treatment centre that Rukia Kondogoza, wrapped in bright kanga cloth, has to share her bed with another patient.
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November 12, 2009
Excess Body Weight Linked with More Than 100,000 New Cancer Diagnoses Each Year in U.S.
According to estimates from the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), excess body weight may be responsible for more than 100,000 new cancer diagnoses each year in the United States.
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November 12, 2009
Israeli Jewish Holocaust Survivors May Have Increased Risk of Cancer
Researchers from Israel have reported that the incidence of all cancers, and especially breast and colorectal cancers, is higher among Israeli Jews who were potentially exposed to the Holocaust compared with those who were not. The details of this study were published in the November 4, 2009 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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November 12, 2009
Adjuvant Radiotherapy Improves Local Control in High-risk Melanoma Patients
Researchers affiliated with the Intergroup Randomized Trial (TROG 01.01/ANZMTG 01.02) have reported that adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) improves regional control for patients with high-risk melanoma without a statistically significant effect on survival. The details of this study were presented at the 2009 meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO).
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November 12, 2009
Australian scientists plan to regrow breasts after cancer
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian scientists have developed a surgical technique that may allow cancer-suffering women to regrow their breasts after having a mastectomy, with human trials planned to start within three to six months.
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November 12, 2009
Bundled payments a way to cut U.S. health costs
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - One of the best ways to control U.S. healthcare spending is to pay doctors, hospitals and other health providers a single set fee for treating all aspects of a surgical procedure or a chronic disease such as diabetes, researchers said on Wednesday.
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November 12, 2009
U.S. stop-smoking efforts stalled, report shows
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Efforts to help smokers kick the habit have stalled in the United States, with hardly any recent change in smoking rates, federal researchers reported on Thursday.
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November 12, 2009
Men more apt than women to leave partner with cancer
NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Women are six times more likely to end up separated or divorced if they are diagnosed with cancer or multiple sclerosis than if their male partners were facing the same illness, according to a U.S. study.
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November 12, 2009
Acrylamide not tied to thyroid, head-neck cancers
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The chemical acrylamide, which is classified as a probable cancer-causing agent, does not appear to increase overall risk for mouth, throat, voice box, or thyroid cancers, with one possible exception, study findings hint.
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November 11, 2009
Carbogen and Nicotinamide Improves Survival of Patients with Advanced Bladder Cancer Receiving Radiotherapy
Researchers from the UK have reported that patients with locally advanced bladder cancer treated with concomitant carbogen, nicotinamide, and radical accelerated radiotherapy have a 13% improved three-year survival compared with patients treated with radiotherapy alone. The details of this Phase III randomized trial were presented at the 2009 meeting of the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) in the first week of November.
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November 11, 2009
H-R3 (Nimotuzumab) Enhances Radiation and Chemotherapy Responses in Advanced Head and Neck Cancer
Researchers from India have reported that the addition of nimotuzumab to radiation therapy or radiation therapy plus chemotherapy increases long-term loco-regional control and survival in patients with advanced head and neck cancer. The details of this Phase IIB study were presented at the 2009 meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiation and Oncology (ASTRO).
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November 11, 2009
Adjuvant Erbitux® May Improve Survival of High-risk Resected Head and Neck Cancer
Researchers affiliated with RTOG 0234 have reported that the addition of Erbitux® (cetuximab) may improve outcomes of patients with high-risk resected head and neck cancer receiving chemoradiotherapy. The details of this study were presented at the 2009 meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology in the first week of November.
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November 11, 2009
Early Morning Colonoscopies Detect More Polyps
Among patients undergoing colonoscopy at a Veteran’s Administration (VA) medical center, a greater number of polyps was detected among patients seen early in the morning than among patients seen later in the day. The reasons for this are uncertain, but it’s possible that the lower rate of polyp detection later in the day is the result of provider fatigue or less complete bowel preparation. These results were published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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November 11, 2009
Experts fear Africa "pandemic" from rise in smoking
LONDON (Reuters) - Africa faces a surge in cancer deaths unless action is taken in the next decade to stem rising smoking levels in a continent where anti-tobacco laws remain rare, U.S. scientists said on Wednesday.
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November 10, 2009
Pain often persists years after breast surgery
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In a study of Danish women who had surgery for breast cancer, nearly half still reported pain 2 to 3 years later, according to a report in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association.
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November 10, 2009
Study confirms clot risks with anti-anemia drugs
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Cancer patients who took drugs to cut the risk of anemia were twice as likely to develop blood clots in the lungs or legs as other patients, a decade-long study of more than 55,000 cancer patients has found.