Authors

Fluid Complications

Malignant pleural effusion complicates the care of approximately 150,000 people in the United States each year.

PALB2-Positive Breast Cancer in a 40-Year-Old Man

In July 2003, an asymptomatic 40-year-old man presented to his primary care physician for routine care and was found to have a palpable right axillary lymph node.

The Role of Radiotherapy in Node-Positive Prostate Cancer

This article summarizes the existing literature on use of radiotherapy for node-positive prostate cancer, as well as the associated outcomes.

The UFT/Leucovorin/Etoposide Regimen for the Treatment of Advanced Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer is the most chemosensitive adenocarcinoma among digestive neoplasms. A few years ago, we performed a phase II trial with the FLEP regimen, in which fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin are combined

Role of Obesity and Exercise in Breast Cancer Survivors

After malignancies of the skin, breast cancer is the most common cancer

Curbing Potential Radiation-Induced Cancer Risks in Oncologic Imaging: Perspectives From the ‘Image Gently’ and ‘Image Wisely’ Campaigns

The purpose of this review is to provide the oncology community with knowledge about the doses used in medical imaging, radiation-induced cancer risks from imaging, and considerations to keep in mind when balancing imaging benefits and risks in pediatric and adult oncologic settings.

Current Status and Future Potential of Advanced Technologies in Radiation OncologyPart 2. State of the Science by Anatomic Site

On November 30–December 2, 2006, the Radiation Research Program of the Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) hosted a workshop entitled “Advanced Technologies in Radiation Oncology: Evaluating the Current Status and Future Potential of Proton and Other Heavy Charged-Particle Radiation Therapy, Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy and Stereotactic Radiation Therapy.”

Comparing Radical Prostatectomy and Brachytherapy for Localized Prostate Cancer

Radical prostatectomy and ultrasound-guided transperinealbrachytherapy are both acceptedtreatment options for men with clinicallylocalized prostate cancer.Investigators continue to argue overthe relative effectiveness of each ofthese procedures, not only from thestandpoint of cure, but also with regardto how each treatment affectsquality of life. With the recent closureof a prospective, randomized trial addressingthese issues (the SurgicalProstatectomy Interstitial RadiationIntervention Trial, or SPIRIT) due tolack of patient accrual, it is unlikelythat a direct comparison of these techniqueswill be performed in the foreseeablefuture.

Can Risk-Adapted Treatment Recommendations Replace the ‘One Size Fits All’ Approach for Early-Stage Thyroid Cancer Patients?

There is uniform agreement that initial treatment of high-risk thyroid cancer should include total thyroidectomy, compartmental neck dissection of clinically involved cervical lymph nodes, and radioactive iodine (RAI) remnant ablation.

The REMS Publication Paradox

The introduction of mandatory risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) programs, in which patients must participate in order to receive a new therapy, provides an opportunity to examine an issue affecting ethical oversight and publication of scientific study results.

Combined Radiation and Chemotherapy for Carcinoma of the Anal Canal

Sphincter-preserving treatment with combined radiation and chemotherapy has replaced abdominoperineal resection as the standard of care for patients with carcinoma of the anal canal. Randomized studies have shown

3D Treatment Planning and Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy

Three-dimensional (3D) image-based treatment planning and new delivery technologies have spurred the implementation of external beam radiation therapy techniques, in which the high-dose region is conformed much

MD Anderson Manual of Medical Oncology

It is an unusual oncologist in the United States who has not had a patient receive a second opinion at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (MDA). Long a respected and well-known force in cancer research and patient care, MDA has exerted significant national and international influence not only with scientific publications but also through its training programs and large clinical operation. This book will add to that influence with concise disease-oriented chapters covering the patient population a medical oncologist will see in practice. The MD Anderson Manual of Medical Oncology is not a small handbook. Rather, it is a hardbound text of more than 1,000 pages authored by nearly 100 MDA clinicians.

Clinical Relevance of Laboratory and Animal Data on Tamoxifen

Tamoxifen is being evaluated in clinical trials as a preventive agent in women at high risk for breast cancer. This new, potentially long-term therapeutic role has generated some concerns regarding safety, based on the results of

Benefits of Tamoxifen Outweigh Endometrial Cancer Risk

An expert panel of nine international cancer researchers and practicing oncologists met in Boston to discuss the past, present, and future uses of antiestrogens in the treatment of breast cancer. The first article in this series, based on the symposium presentations, focused on the optimal duration of tamoxifen use (October 1996). This month, the panel explores the noncancer benefits of tamoxifen, as well as the potential risk of endometrial cancer. The symposium was sponsored by Zeneca Pharmaceuticals.

Current Issues in the Treatment of Resistant Bloodstream Infections

Bloodstream infections cause significant morbidity and mortality for patients with hematologic malignancy. Antimicrobial drugs are the most reliable currently available treatment for infection, but several issues must be

It's Time to Have ‘The Talk’: Cost Communication and Patient-Centered Care

Barriers to cost discussions fall into three categories: inaccessible cost data, ethical concerns, and insufficient training.

Current Clinical Trials of Molecularly Targeted Agents in Children With Cancer, Part 2

A number of molecularly targeted agents directed at critical cell survival and cell proliferation pathways have recently entered clinical evaluation in children with cancer. These agents offer the potential for more effective anticancer therapy while simultaneously diminishing acute and long-term toxic effects. Systematic evaluations of targeted agents are essential to achieving continued improvements in outcome for children with cancer. Brief summaries of the rationale for conducting studies of several agents in children are provided below. Following these summaries is a listing of phase I, phase I/II, phase II, and pilot studies of these and other agents in pediatric populations.

Consider Thrombotic Microangiopathy in Pediatric and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Patients

The article by Dr. George is of great use to the practicing clinician, not only in the hematology-oncology setting but also in general practice or emergency medicine.

Principles of Chemoradiation: Theoretical and Practical Considerations

Chemotherapy agents known to enhance the effects of radiation in preclinical studies have been used concurrently with radiotherapy in numerous clinical trials with the prospect of further enhancing radiation-induced

Imaging experts weigh in on screening controversy

Despite the hubbub, breast imaging researchers saw nothing new in the findings of Dr. Esserman’s group. Daniel Kopans, MD, a professor of radiology at Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital, called her observation about mammography catching nonlethal cancers but missing aggressive ones “a fundamental concept that is older than I am. Mammography saves lives by finding moderate- and slow-growing cancer that will kill in five or more years without diagnosis and treatment,” according to Dr. Kopans.

72 Breast Cancer After Breast Augmentation: A Multicenter Collaborative Study Of Patient Management and Outcomes

Current Issues in the Treatment of Resistant Bloodstream Infections

Bloodstream infections cause significant morbidity and mortality for patients with hematologic malignancy. Antimicrobial drugs are the most reliable currently available treatment for infection, but several issues must be

Perioperative Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors for GIST: Standard . . . or an Idea That Needs Further Investigation?

Excellent safety, efficacy, and tolerability profiles have resulted in the rapid integration of oral tyrosine kinase inhibitors into most facets of the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST).

Nonionizing Electromagnetic Fields and Cancer: A Review

The paper by Salvatore et al discusses a very broad, complex subject, which, in some aspects, is quite controversial. The review touches on many different topics but not always in enough detail to provide clarity. Pertaining to the debated link between 50 to 60 Hz power line field exposure and cancer, the authors characterize their article as "... a review of the basic science that points to this possible association [with cancer]." However, the "basic science" that "points to" occupies much of their presentation, while some major types of evidence and reasoning that "points away" is not mentioned.

Epidemic Kaposi’s Sarcoma

Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) is the most common malignancy associated with human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection and can result in significant morbidity. The clinical course of KS is quite variable, although for the

Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumors: Slow but Steady Progress

In spite of recent encouraging developments in the setting of GI neuroendocrine tumors, many clinical questions remain to be answered and will be highlighted in this commentary.

UFT Plus Leucovorin vs 5-FU Plus Leucovorin for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

An open-label, randomized phase III trial has been established to compare the efficacy and safety profile of tegafur and uracil (UFT) plus leucovorin with fluorouracil (5-FU) plus leucovorin as first-line chemotherapy for

Anti-Angiogenesis Therapy in Gynecologic Malignancies

The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of site-specific treatment options that involve the targeting of angiogenesis in gynecologic malignancies.

Chemotherapy for Resectable and Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

This article will review the pertinent data on the use of chemotherapy for all stages of pancreatic cancer. For patients with metastatic disease, fluorouracil (5-FU) was the standard of care for several decades until a single