MRI-Guided Ultrasound Relieves Pain of Bone Metastases
July 8th 2014An approach using heat to alleviate the pain commonly associated with bone metastases has proven to be safe and effective in a multicenter phase III clinical trial, yielding a 64% response rate based on self-reported pain scores among patients receiving the noninvasive intervention.
New Oral Agent Found Effective in Preventing Muscle Wasting in NSCLC
July 1st 2014The results of two phase III trials reported at the 2014 MASCC/ISOO International Symposium on Supportive Care in Cancer have found that enobosarm, a first-in-class, nonsteroidal, oral selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM), led to an increase in lean body mass (LBM) compared with a decline in LBM observed with placebo for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Oral Netupitant-Palonestron Combination Offers Simpler Approach to Antiemesis Treatment
June 28th 2014A treatment intended to control chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) that combines netupitant and palonosetron (NEPA) in a single capsule resulted in improved complete response rates (from 0 to 120 hours) when compared with oral palonosetron alone, according to research presented at the 2014 MASCC/ISOO International Symposium on Supportive Care in Cancer.
Docetaxel Associated With Intoxication, FDA Warns
June 20th 2014The FDA has issued a drug safety communication regarding the risk of intoxication with the intravenous ethanol-containing chemotherapy docetaxel. The drug is marketed as generic docetaxel and under the brand names Taxotere, Docefrez, and Docetaxel Injection.
For Breast Cancer Patients at Known BRCA Risk, a Role for Testing Prior to Surgery
June 17th 2014The majority of women with breast cancer who undergo the recommended genetic testing for BRCA1/2 mutations and test positive prior to undergoing surgery will change their surgical plan to include a more extensive procedure, a new study reports.
Survivorship Now Linked to Higher Medical Costs and Productivity Losses
June 16th 2014Cancer survivors (defined as people with a history of a cancer diagnosis) represent 4.6% of the U.S. population. The number of survivors is projected to increase at least 30% during the next ten years, and will likely reach 18 million people in the U.S.
CLL-Current and Emerging Therapies
June 12th 2014Please join us for our upcoming telephone/web education program, CLL- Current and Emerging Therapies on, Wednesday, June 18, 2014 1:00-2:30 pm EST featuring Thomas Kipps, MD, Deputy Director for Research at the University of California Moores Cancer Center.
Nurses Design Proactive, Patient-Centered Program to Reduce Lymphedema Risk
June 11th 2014A pilot study of an educational and behavioral program conducted by researchers at the New York University College of Nursing has successfully reduced the risk of lymphedema in breast cancer patients who have undergone axillary lymph node dissection or sentinel lymph node biopsy.
Patients With Advanced Cancer Benefit When Palliative Care Starts Earlier
June 10th 2014Patients with advanced cancer who received early specialized palliative care reported better quality of life and satisfaction, according to results from a randomized trial comparing such services with usual care published in The Lancet.
Survey Finds More Inquiries to Genetic Counselors, Including From the "Worried-Well"
June 9th 2014A recent survey conducted by the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) showed a significant increase in patient calls and requests for testing and referrals from healthcare providers in the year following actress Angelina Jolie's announcement of her BRCA mutation status and subsequent double mastectomy.
Long-Term Outcomes Support Sentinel-Node Biopsy for Staging Melanoma
June 5th 2014A 10-year follow-up study of regional melanoma staging strategies found that patients who underwent sentinel-node biopsies had significantly greater disease-free survival rates (DFSRs) compared with patients monitored through nodal observation.
More Hospice Care Meant Longer Survival, Lower End-of-Life Costs for Metastatic Melanoma Patients
June 4th 2014A study of patients with metastatic melanoma found that those who spent more time in hospice care lived almost four months longer than similar patients who had little or no hospice care, and that end-of-life costs dropped for those with more time in hospice.