Avoiding Surgery Works for Some Patients With Rectal Cancer
January 13th 2015A "watch and wait" surveillance approach may allow certain patients with rectal cancer to achieve excellent outcomes without immediate surgery, according to a retrospective review of clinical data presented at the 2015 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.
Investigators Find Potential Genetic Clues to Disparities in Colon Cancer
January 13th 2015Researchers from the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center have discovered new gene mutations that are unique to colon cancer in African American patients, who have the highest incidence and death rate from the disease.
Vitamin D Demonstrates Multiple Benefits for Patients With mCRC
January 12th 2015Patients with newly diagnosed metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) who had higher levels of vitamin D in their blood lived a median of 8 months longer and experienced greater disease-free survival after their cancer treatment
A New Standard Treatment for Stage I, HER2-Positive Breast Cancer?
January 9th 2015Results of a phase II study showed that women with small, stage I HER2-positive tumors who received a combination of lower-intensity chemotherapy and the targeted drug trastuzumab following surgery were highly unlikely to have the cancer recur within 3 years
As Teen Use of E-Cigarettes Climbs, Societies Call for More Regulation
January 8th 2015The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) have collaborated on an outline that would help policymakers regulate electronic cigarettes and other electronic nicotine devices (ENDS) without undermining their potential as a smoking cessation tool, the two cancer organizations announced.
New Studies Show Importance of Diet for Lowering Breast Cancer Risk and Preventing Recurrence
January 7th 2015Two recent studies outline the importance of nutrition in preventing obesity-related cancers as well as the potential benefits of a nutrition education intervention in preventing breast cancer recurrence.
Heart Disease in BRCA Mutation Carriers
January 5th 2015While managing cancer risk is a priority, BRCA mutation carriers are often concerned about their risk of heart disease-the leading cause of death for American women-and how their mutation or risk-management choices may impact their cardiovascular health.
Adding GM-CSF to Yervoy Improves Survival, Lowers Toxicity in Advanced Melanoma
December 30th 2014The addition of the GM-CSF agent sargramostim to the CTLA-4 inhibitor ipilimumab (Yervoy) prolonged overall survival (OS) and lowered toxicity for patients with unresectable stage III or IV melanoma.
Lung Cancer Foundation App Helps Patients Navigate Care, Diagnosis and Treatment Options
December 23rd 2014The Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (ALCF), in collaboration with Open Health Network (OHN), announced the launch of Lung Cancer Foundation, the first of its kind mobile application designed to empower lung cancer patients and their families.
Olaparib Gets Approval for BRCA-Mutated Advanced Ovarian Cancer
December 20th 2014The FDA has approved the PARP inhibitor olaparib (Lynparza) for the treatment of women with BRCA-positive advanced ovarian cancer. The approval was based on results from a single-arm phase II study of patients with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline BRCA-mutated advanced cancers
Survey Finds Patients With TNBC Want More Interventions Focused on Their Specific Needs
December 16th 2014New research presented at the 2014 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium has shown that women with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) are more likely to seek out information about their specific subtype and experience more fear, anxiety, and worry than women with other subtypes of breast cancer,
Nutrition Intervention May Improve Survival in Women With Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
December 12th 2014Findings from a long-term analysis of the Women's Intervention Nutrition Study (WINS) show that the deaths of women with hormone receptor–negative breast cancers were reduced by up to 54% when they followed a program to reduce their dietary fat intake, which could provide benefit for patients with triple-negative breast cancer.
Tamoxifen's Preventive Benefits Sustained but Drug Still Underutilized in Practice
December 11th 2014Five years of tamoxifen continues to offer protection against breast cancer, reducing the risk of breast cancer by 29% in otherwise healthy women at high risk of the disease who have been followed now for 16 to 22 years.
Study Shows Over-the-Phone Genetic Counseling Is Effective
December 11th 2014For individuals living in rural areas, getting a genetic test can impose its own set of barriers, like multiple long trips for counseling, testing, and follow-up. However, findings of a new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute have shown that telephone counseling was just as effective as in-person counseling in many respects.
Radiotherapy Prevalent in Older Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer Despite Limited Benefit
December 9th 2014Despite research findings that toxicities outweigh benefits when women over the age of 70 are treated with radiation for their early-stage breast cancer, the treatment remains commonplace 10 years later, a new study has found.