Authors
Latest:
Treating Prostate CancerIn the November 30, 2007, issue of ONCOLOGY, Dr. Tony S. Quang and colleagues have raised some very important and relevant issues regarding the costs and benefits of new technology in the treatment of prostate cancer ("Technologic Evolution in the Treatment of Prostate Cancer: Clinical, Financial, and Legal Implications for Managed Care Organizations," ONCOLOGY 21[13]:1598-1604, 2007).
Latest:
In Vivo Purging With Rituximab Prior to Stem Cell Collection Is Associated With Persistent Molecular Evidence of t(14;18) That Often Disappears Post-Transplant in Patients With Follicular LymphomaWe previously reported that “in vivo purging” with rituximab (Rituxan) during stem-cell collection is safe and does not adversely affect engraftment. We now report on our transplant experience with rituximab. From June 1998 to December
Latest:
Docetaxel vs Mitomycin Plus Vinblastine in Anthracycline-Resistant Metastatic Breast CancerThis nonblinded, multicenter, randomized phase III study compares the median time to progression (primary endpoint), response rate, and quality of life, safety, and survival of
Latest:
Docetaxel vs Mitomycin Plus Vinblastine in Anthracycline-Resistant Metastatic Breast CancerThis nonblinded, multicenter, randomized phase III study compares the median time to progression (primary endpoint), response rate, and quality of life, safety, and survival of
Latest:
Radiation-Induced Enteritis: Incidence, Mechanisms, and ManagementDiarrhea is a common problem in patients receiving pelvic irradiation with concurrent chemotherapy. Virtually all patients develop diarrhea of varying severity during the course of the treatment. The incidence and severity of diarrhea vary with the chemotherapy type and dose, radiotherapy field size, daily fraction size, and total dose of radiation given. Diarrhea (any grade) occurs in 30% to 87% of patients receiving chemotherapy and in 20% to 49% of patients receiving pelvic radiotherapy. The incidence of severe and life-threatening (grade 3/4) diarrhea ranges from 20% to 40% in patients receiving combined chemoradiotherapy.
Latest:
Is Breast Cancer Chemoprevention Dead?In this interview we discuss chemoprevention in breast cancer, including investigational agents and the use of herbal supplements.
Latest:
Genetics opens new window on acute myeloid leukemiaSAN FRANCISCO-While genetics has opened up new possibilities for predicting treatment response in patients with acute myeloid leukemia, there are still unanswered questions about the relationship between genetic mutations and treatment outcome, according to Bob Lowenberg, MD, PhD, who delivered the Ham-Wasserman lecture at ASH 200
Latest:
Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Cancer SurvivorsChemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is one of the most challenging and complex complications of cancer chemotherapy.
Latest:
Targeted Therapy in Squamous Cell Cancers of the Head and NeckThe 5-year survival of patients with locally advanced squamous cell cancers of the head and neck is still less than 30%. Treatment of these cancers involves significant functional impairment, diminished quality of life, and considerable time and expense. Local recurrence and distant metastases are still fairly common, and the development of second primary cancers has a significant impact on survival in patients with initial early-stage disease. Despite the success of combination chemoradiation in locally advanced head and neck cancers, these facts stress the need for improved treatment of this disease.
Latest:
Topoisomerase I Inhibitors in the Treatment of Head and Neck CancerTraditionally, the role of chemotherapy in the treatment ofsquamous carcinoma of the head and neck has been confined to patients with
Latest:
Rehabilitation for the Head and Neck Cancer PatientAlthough head and neck cancer accounts for only about 5% of all malignancies, the functional and cosmetic changes that result from the tumor or its treatment pose a challenge to the health-care community. In today’s health-care environment, we are being forced or at least encouraged to decrease the length of hospital stay for patients following all types of surgical procedures. As a result, the inpatient census for most units has decreased substantially, causing many specialized patient care units to close.
Latest:
Current Clinical Trials of FlavopiridolFlavopiridol [2-(2-chlorophenyl 5 ,7-dihydroxy-8-[cis-(3-hydroxy-1-methyl-4-piperidinyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one, hydrochloride] is a semisynthetic flavone with a novel structure compared with that of polyhydroxylated flavones, such as quercetin and genistein.[1] It is derived from rohitukine, an alkaloid isolated from the stem bark of Dysoxylum binectariferum, a plant indigenous to India.[2] Originally synthesized and supplied by Hoechst India Limited, flavopiridol is provided to the Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) by Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Latest:
Lower Dose Chemotherapy Plus Radiation Offers Favorable Prognosis in Hodgkin’s Lymphoma PatientsPatients with early-stage Hodgkin’s lymphoma and a favorable prognosis can be treated with less intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy regimens without affecting outcomes. This is the first study to show that less intensive therapy can be used without sacrificing benefits, according to lead author Andreas Engert, MD, and colleagues.
Latest:
Expert Discusses Safety of Toripalimab in Advanced Nasopharyngeal CarcinomaTreatment with toripalimab does not yield the same vascular toxicity seen with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma, according to Barbara Burtness, MD.
Latest:
Quality of Life Among Long-Term Cancer SurvivorsFerrell and Hassey Dow summarize research on the domains of quality of life (QOL) most important to the adaptation of survivors, and offer insights about possible interventions to support and promote this adaptation. In addition, they note that the field is poised to make great progress in understanding the concerns and needs of survivors, due, in part, to the establishment of the Office of Cancer Survivorship, an institutional home at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) that will coordinate and promote research on this critical topic.
Latest:
New Developments: A Look to the FutureInflammatory cytokines plus the human immunodeficiency virus Tat protein apparently trigger the development of early Kaposi's sarcoma. Activated spindle cells provide a self-perpetuating, autocrine-supported mechanism for further development of hyperplastic lesions. In more advanced stages, a true neoplastic process may develop. [ONCOLOGY 10(Suppl):34-36, 1996]
Latest:
Management of Fatigue in the Cancer PatientThe Lesage and Portenoy article fulfills several important purposes. First, the authors remind us of the critical need to become more systematic and diligent in assessing and monitoring fatigue, a potentially debilitating symptom that is now recognized as the most common adverse effect experienced by cancer patients undergoing active treatment.[1] In the assessment of fatigue, the authors acknowledge that "the gold standard of evaluation is the patient’s self-report."
Latest:
Commentary (Fowble): Treatment of Complications After Breast-Conservation TherapyThe adverse effects of cancertreatment can be divided intothree groups: those that aresignificant and life-threatening, thosethat are not life-threatening but resultin lifestyle changes, and those that areof minor severity and limited duration.The potential significant and lifethreateningeffects of radiation in thetreatment of breast cancer includecardiac toxicity and carcinogenesis.Two prospective randomized trials ofbreast-conserving surgery and radiationhave demonstrated no increase inthe risk of non–breast cancer death at20 and 25 years among patients whoreceived radiation compared to thosetreated by mastectomy.[1,2]
Latest:
A 54-Year-Old Woman With Recurrent Headaches and SeizuresThe patient’s medical history is remarkable only for asthma and mild emphysema. The family history included a grandmother with gastric cancer. The patient had been taking estrogen replacement therapy since menopause 3 years earlier, and she was
Latest:
Cancer and Work: Protections Under the Americans with Disabilities ActWith about 12 million cancer survivors living in the US,[1] cancer affects millions of working Americans. Improvements in early detection and treatment have resulted in a significant number of newly diagnosed and long-term survivors of working age.
Latest:
Hormone Replacement Therapy: Making Informed DecisionsThe controversies regarding the association between hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) and cancers, the questions about HRT use in women with a high risk of breast cancer, and the increasing number of women with breast cancer and menopausal symptoms make HRT a significant cancer issue.
Latest:
Local Recurrence After Mastectomy or Breast-Conserving Surgery and RadiationApproximately 10% to 15% of patients with stage I/II invasive breast cancer will develop a clinically isolated local recurrence. The standard management of an ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence following breast-
Latest:
Barbara McAneny on How the Repeal of the ACA Without a Replacement Threatens the Health of Patients and the Success of Community PracticesIn this interview we discuss how the ACA, which was passed in 2010, changed the way oncologists treat their patients, and how a repeal of the law would affect patients’ access to care.
Latest:
Fluorescence-Guided Breast Cancer Surgery Tool May Be GamechangerPegulicianine-guided breast cancer surgery may allow practices to de-escalate subsequent radiotherapy, says Barbara Smith, MD, PhD.
Latest:
Are We Ready to Screen for Inherited Susceptibility to Cancer?Recent dramatic advances in the understanding of inherited susceptibility to several common adult-onset cancers have made possible the identification of individuals who may be at significantly increased risk of developing malignant disease. These advances may translate into some of the first opportunities for cancer prevention.
Latest:
Irinotecan in Relapsed or Refractory Non-Hodgkin’s LymphomasBecause irinotecan (CPT-11, Camptosar) is a topoisomerase I inhibitor with a broad spectrum of antitumor clinical activity, we investigated its activity in relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHLs). Irinotecan at 300 mg/m² IV was administered every 21 days with intensive loperamide management of diarrhea.
Latest:
Interdisciplinary Breast Cancer Care: Declaring and Improving the StandardThe contemporary management of breast cancer is a complex endeavorthat requires a truly collaborative team approach, characterizedby ongoing communication and active information-sharing amongthe multiple disciplines involved. Programs designed to provide comprehensivebreast cancer management by a team of multidisciplinaryspecialists were introduced in the late 1970s and have been increasingslowly. Patients attending comprehensive breast centers receive carefrom a broad-based multidisciplinary team that most often includessurgeons, radiologists, pathologists, medical oncologists, radiationoncologists, plastic/reconstructive surgeons, primary care physicians,gynecologists, nurses, social workers, patient advocates, and geneticrisk counselors. At the heart of comprehensive, interdisciplinary breastcare is the consensus planning conference that brings together teammembers on a regular basis to discuss individual patient cases and developcomprehensive treatment plans. This interactive and dynamicforum has become integral to the interdisciplinary management of breastdiseases and results in an increased level of communication betweenthe participating health-care professionals and the patients they treat.Several professional organizations, most prominently the AmericanSociety of Breast Disease, promote and support an interdisciplinaryapproach to breast care.
Latest:
Speech and Swallowing Rehabilitation for Head and Neck Cancer PatientsHead and neck cancer and its treatment frequently cause changes in both speech and swallowing, which affect the patient's quality of life and ability to function in society. The exact nature and severity of the post-treatment changes depend on the location of the tumor, the choice of treatment, and the availability and use of speech and swallowing therapy during the first 3 months after treatment. This paper reviews the literature on speech and swallowing problems in various types of treated head and neck cancer patients. Effective swallowing rehabilitation depends on the inclusion of a video-fluorographic assessment of the patient's oropharyngeal swallow in the post-treatment evaluation. Pilot data support the use of range of motion (ROM) exercises for the jaw, tongue, lips, and larynx in the first 3 months after oral or oropharyngeal ablative surgical procedures, as patients who perform ROM exercises on a regular basis exhibit significantly greater improvement in global measures of both speech and swallowing, as compared with patients who do not do these exercises. [ONCOLOGY 11(5):651-659, 1997]
Latest:
New Combinations With Epirubicin in Advanced Breast CancerSeveral trials have shown that anthracyclines and taxanes can be combined to achieve response rates ranging from 70% to 90%, with complete responses ranging from 19% to 41%. In an attempt to increase the activity while
Latest:
Hypersensitivity Reactions to Oxaliplatin: Incidence and ManagementThe paper by Gowda et al is anotherwell-done work on allergicreactions in patients treatedwith oxaliplatin (L-OHP, Eloxatin)for advanced colorectal cancer.Oxaliplatin was found to be an activeagent in the treatment of this disease10 years ago,[1] and its role in combinationwith leucovorin and fluorouracil(5-FU) is a cornerstone in thetreatment of advanced colorectalcancer,[2-7] as it will probably alsobecome in the adjuvant setting.[8] Althoughthe drug’s dose-limiting toxicityis a cumulative sensory neuropathy,allergic and idiosyncratic reactions mustalways be considered due to their severityand because they can representan important, irreversible reasonfor treatment discontinuation.
