Authors
Latest:
Vitamin B3 Supplement Reduced Occurrences of Basal and Squamous Cell CarcinomasIn this video, Dr. Martin discusses the phase III ONTRAC study, which found that the use of nicotinamide, a form of vitamin B3, reduced the incidence of non-melanoma skin cancers by 23% among a group of high-risk patients.
Latest:
Healthcare Financing and the Cost of Cancer CareControlling healthcare spending has been, and appears destined to remain, at the center of the public policy debate at each level of government, given that much of the healthcare bill is paid by taxpayers.
Latest:
Psychiatric Assessment and Symptom Management in Elderly Cancer PatientsThe number of older adults in the general population continues togrow. As their numbers rise, the elderly and the management of theirmedical problems must be of increasing concern for health-care professionals.Within this older population, cancer is a leading cause ofmorbidity and mortality. Although many studies have looked at the psychiatricimplications of cancer in the general population, few studiestackle the issues that may face the older adult with cancer. This articlefocuses on the detection and treatment of depression, anxiety, fatigue,pain, delirium, and dementia in the elderly cancer patient.
Latest:
Targeted therapies address hard-to-treat liver tumorsNot long ago, our approach to treating difficult metastatic tumors was to “spray and pray.” We knew that chemotherapy and other traditional treatment approaches could cause great damage and had a limited chance of successfully destroying the entire tumor. At the time, a proven safer and more effective option did not exist, and patients were desperately in need of treatment. Fortunately, as our knowledge of the complexities of advanced liver tumors has grown, so has our ability to develop treatments that target and treat tumors while avoiding harmful side effects to normal tissue.
Latest:
A 72-Year-Old Man With Prostate CancerThe patient, L.E., is a 72-year-old white male who has been under our care for 10 years. He initially presented to our clinic in 1992, with a diagnosis of localized prostate cancer.
Latest:
Vaccinations Against Infectious Diseases in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant RecipientsBlood and marrow transplantation, a curative treatment for avariety of serious diseases, induces a period of sustained immunosuppressionpredisposing recipients to opportunistic infections. Both forthe protection of the individual transplant recipient and as a matter ofpublic health policy, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) has developed guidelines for the use of vaccination in theprevention of infectious disease following transplantation. This reviewexamines the primary clinical research supporting vaccinationpolicies in this target population. Widely accepted recommendationsfor transplant recipients based on scientific data are sparse, as fewlarge studies have been conducted in this population. Anecdotalreports, expert advice, summaries, and limited series involving lessthan 50 patients using surrogate end points form the basis of thescientific literature, with the result being a wide variation in practice.Although based largely on inadequate scientific data, the CDC recommendationsoffer a pragmatic approach to the prevention of opportunisticdisease in hematopoietic transplant recipients and serve as auseful starting point for standardization of practice while defining thedirection of future studies in transplant recipients and other immunocompromisedhosts.
Latest:
COUNTERPOINT: Standard vs Investigational Agents as Upfront Treatment for High-Risk AMLAs we learn more about the biology of AML, it appears that 7+3 only rarely clears residual leukemic clones in patients with higher-risk disease. New therapies are needed that can target and eradicate resistant subclones early in the disease course.
Latest:
Collaboration Fosters Treatment Advancements for Young Lymphoma PopulationsA leader from the adolescent and young adult lymphoma space discusses how collaboration between adult and pediatric oncologists has transformed the field.
Latest:
ASCO: Advances in the Management of Gastrointestinal CancersAs part of our coverage of the ASCO Annual Meeting, we discuss advances in the management of upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract tumors, as well as highlighting clinical trial results that will be reported at the meeting.
Latest:
ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Adjuvant Management of Early-Stage Endometrial CancerAfter a review of the published literature, the panel voted on three variants to establish best practices for the utilization of imaging, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy after primary surgery for early-stage endometrial cancer.
Latest:
Contemporary Issues Surrounding Small Renal Masses: Evaluation, Diagnostic Biopsy, Nephron Sparing, and Novel Treatment ModalitiesIn this review, we summarize the diagnosis of small renal masses, the role of renal mass biopsy, different treatment strategies, and future directions, including emerging molecular biomarkers.
Latest:
Clinical Status and Optimal Use of Rituximab for B-Cell LymphomasThe article by Dr. McLaughlin and coauthors provides both a useful summary of the clinical trials involving rituximab (IDEC C2B8 [Rituxan]) and a practical guide for its administration. Their review summarizes the most recent clinical results with this monoclonal antibody, which have just been published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.[1] The review also includes a section on the potential mechanism of action of rituximab. Several areas merit comment.
Latest:
Tailored Therapy in Diffuse Gliomas: Using Molecular Classifiers to Optimize Clinical ManagementWe review the current data regarding the prognostic and predictive value of IDH mutation and 1p/19q codeletion in gliomas. We also discuss possible management algorithms using these biomarkers to tailor surgical and adjuvant therapy for specific diffuse gliomas.
Latest:
PSA Screening: The Case in FavorThe facts presented about screening should be tailored to the patient’s exact situation, and the patient’s values should be used to guide the final decision. For younger, healthy men, PSA screening should continue to be strongly considered.
Latest:
Evidence Moves OTC Prevention of mCRC Closer to RealityAhead of the 2015 ASCO Annual Meeting, we are discussing over-the-counter therapies for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer with Andrew T. Chan, MD, MPH.
Latest:
Treating Small-Cell Lung Cancer: More Consensus Than ControversyAlmost 40% of patients with newly diagnosed small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) have disease confined to the ipsilateral hemithorax and within a single radiation port, ie, limited-stage disease. The median survival for this group of patients after treatment is approximately 15 months, with one in every four patients surviving 2 years. Current optimal treatment consists of chemotherapy with platinum/etoposide, given concurrently with thoracic radiation. Surgery may represent an option for very early-stage disease, but its added value is uncertain. Prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) is used for patients with limited-stage SCLC who have achieved a complete response following initial therapy, as it decreases the risk of brain metastases and provides an overall survival benefit. Newer targeted agents are currently being evaluated in this disease and hold the promise of improving current outcomes seen in patients with early-stage disease.
Latest:
Prevalence of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in Cancer PatientsInterest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has grown dramatically over the past several years. Cancer patients are always looking for new hope, and many have turned to nontraditional means. This study was
Latest:
Update on Low Malignant Potential Ovarian TumorsLow malignant potential (LMP) ovarian tumors represent a small subset of epithelial ovarian cancers that were first identified 70 years ago but were recognized in a systematic way only within the last 30 years. These lesions
Latest:
Early Engagement in Physical Activity and Exercise Is Key in Managing Cancer CachexiaDespite consensus on the diagnosis and staging of cancer anorexia/cachexia syndrome, there is currently no accepted standard of care, and affected patients remain widely undertreated.
Latest:
Nanoparticle-Delivered Chemotherapy: Old Drugs in New PackagesThis article reviews the rationale for nanoparticle formulations of existing or previously investigated cytotoxic drugs, describe currently approved nanoparticle formulations of drugs, and discusses some of the most promising clinical trials currently underway.
Latest:
Determining the Cell of Origin in DLBCLDr. Andrew Zelenetz spoke with Cancer Network about the importance of determining the cell of origin in patients with DLBCL.
Latest:
Tumors of the Uterine CorpusCarcinoma of the endometrium is the most common female pelvic malignancy and the fourth most common cancer in females, after breast, bowel, and lung carcinomas. In 1995, an estimated 32,800 new cases of endometrial carcinoma and 5,900 related deaths will occur in the United States [1]. The relatively low mortality for this cancer is probably due to the fact that in 80% of cases, the disease is diagnosed when it is confined to the uterus.
Latest:
Adjuvant Therapy After Resection of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Clear Proof of Principle in This SettingThere is clear proof of principle for adjuvant therapy in patients at high risk for tumor recurrence, such as those with resected metastatic colorectal cancer. For that reason, this strategy has been largely adopted, especially using 5-FU– and oxaliplatin-based regimens, thereby mirroring the approach in resected stage III colon cancer.
Latest:
Chemotherapy-Induced Cardiomyopathy: Clinical Scenarios and ChallengesWe will discuss the deleterious cardiovascular effects of anthracyclines and HER2-targeted agents in a case-based format, as well as specific approaches to prevention and treatment of associated cardiotoxicity.
Latest:
Mini Quiz: Motivational PharmacotherapyLearn about what motivational pharmacology is and is not in this quiz.
Latest:
Preclinical Studies Using the Intratumoral Aromatase Model for Postmenopausal Breast CancerTo determine the most effective strategies for the treatment of postmenopausal hormone dependent breast cancer, we recently developed a model system in nude mice. In this model, estrogen receptor-positive human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) stably transfected with the aromatase gene are inoculated into ovariectomized, immunosuppressed (nude) mice.
Latest:
Angela DeMichele, MD, MSCE, Talks Changes to the Treatment Paradigm Resulting From I-SPY2 in Early Breast CancerAngela DeMichele, MD, MSCE, discussed how the standard of care can be shifted based on the results of the phase 2 I-SPY2 trial investigating novel neoadjuvant treatment strategies in early breast cancer.
Latest:
The Role of Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in AmyloidosisAutologous stem cell transplantation has been an essential part of the treatment armamentarium in light chain amyloidosis for several decades. This review provides a comprehensive assessment of eligibility criteria for ASCT in AL amyloidosis, conditioning dosing, efficacy in terms of hematologic and organ response, and future areas of research.
Latest:
Preserving Fertility inYoung Women DiagnosedWith Breast CancerIn the US, breast cancer is the most common invasive cancer in women, with more than 200,000 diagnosed with the disease each year.
Latest:
The Evolving Approach to Management of Cancer CachexiaCancer patients are often referred for cachexia intervention treatments late in their disease trajectory-that is, at a point where attempts to reverse the weight loss process may be less beneficial. In addition, healthcare professionals frequently under-recognize the prevalence of cancer cachexia, and this may contribute to delayed treatment of weight loss, often until the refractory stage.
