Authors
Latest:
New Developments in Colorectal CancerBlase Polite, MD, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago and the track leader for the GI Colorectal Scientific Program Committee at ASCO, discusses the latest research in the field of colorectal cancer.
Latest:
What We Can Learn From Our PatientsPatient satisfaction data can give practices insight into their operations and make specific, practice-level adjustments accordingly, and with aggregated data we can gain insights into global practice responsiveness and patient perceptions regarding care.
Latest:
Current Management of Menopausal Symptoms in Cancer PatientsMenopause can be experienced prematurely by women with cancer and, as such, is often accompanied by symptoms that are becoming salient management issues. It is common practice to avoid estrogen replacement therapy in women with estrogen-sensitive tumors.
Latest:
Effect of Adjuvant Chemo on Elderly Patients’ Quality of LifeIn this Medical News Minute developed exclusively for Cancer Network, Dr. Bobby Lazzara discusses recently published research that looks at quality of life outcome measures for elderly breast cancer patients who receive adjuvant chemotherapy.
Latest:
The Relationship Between Inflammation and Cancer Is Analogous to That Between Fuel and FireFatigue, fever, depression, confusion, and memory loss are general symptoms that can all indicate inflammation, which itself can often be caused by physical or psychological stress or a common infection such as influenza.
Latest:
Head and neck tumorsIn 2009, approximately 35,720 men and women (25,240 men and 10,480 women) in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx, and 7,600 will succumb to these diseases. Further, an estimated 12,290 men and women (9,920 men and 2,370 women) in the United States will be diagnosed with laryngeal cancer, and 3,660 will die from this malignancy. Most patients with head and neck cancer have metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis (regional nodal involvement in 43% and distant metastasis in 10%).
Latest:
Tamoxifen's Impact on the Management of Breast Cancer: Patient PerspectivesTamoxifen citrate has been prescribed to millions of women with breast cancer and has been one of the most important advances in breast cancer treatment over the past 25 years. Because she is a female physician, the
Latest:
Lung Cancer-Related Brain Metastases: Further ConsiderationsDespite the high prevalence of brain metastases in patients with metastatic lung cancer, these patients have been excluded from enrollment in clinical trials of new therapeutic drugs. The reasons for exclusion have centered on concerns that the blood-brain barrier may impede drug delivery into brain metastases, that brain metastases confer a dismal survival for metastatic lung cancer patients, and that brain metastases carry risk for cerebrovascular hemorrhage. A focused, updated review of these issues, however, clearly shows that these particular concerns are unwarranted. An extensive review of clinical trials on the efficacy of chemotheraputic agents against lung cancer brain metastases is also provided. This collective information describes an area in need of therapeutic development and supports an initiative to evaluate novel targeted therapies for lung cancer brain metastases.
Latest:
New Therapeutic Strategies for Triple-Negative Breast CancerRelatively few clinically important therapeutic advances have occurred in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer since the introduction of taxanes as adjuvant therapy over 20 years ago. However, this is rapidly changing due to a variety of conceptually important clinical trials and emerging new options.
Latest:
Advances in Cancer Research, Volume 79In this time-honored series, the editors have assembled a panel of internationally recognized experts and accomplished a "tour de force" in presenting an overview of the past year’s most salient discoveries in cancer research. They have chosen
Latest:
Neoadjuvant Therapy for Gastric CancerGastric cancer is a global health issue. Most cases are diagnosed atan advanced stage with poor prognosis. Current therapies have a modestimpact on survival. Surgery remains the only potentially curativetreatment, but is associated with a high rate of locoregional recurrenceand distant metastases. Total gastrectomy for proximal cancers is complicatedby postoperative morbidity and quality-of-life impairment.Combined-modality therapy may improve outcomes in this disease.Adjuvant therapy for gastric cancer has now become the standard inthe Western world. However, adjuvant therapy improves survival by onlya few months and is associated with high morbidity. Neoadjuvant therapyis commonly used for esophageal and gastroesophageal junction cancers,but is still regarded as investigational in gastric cancer. Severalsmall phase II studies indicate the feasibility of neoadjuvant strategies.The incorporation of novel, targeted agents into neoadjuvant programsand an assessment of biologic changes within the tumor may refinetherapy. This article provides a concise review of the literature onneoadjuvant therapy for gastric cancer and suggests avenues for furtherinvestigation.
Latest:
ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Recurrent Hodgkin LymphomaBy combining the most recent medical literature and expert opinion, this revised guideline can aid clinicians in the complex decision-making associated with the management of recurrent Hodgkin lymphoma.
Latest:
A Survivor’s Perspective on Young Adults With CancerWhen my doctor told me that I would have to put my life on hold at age 25 because tests confirmed that I had Hodgkin’s disease-cancer!-my life changed totally. I had to quit my job, move back in with my parents, and wonder about the quantity and quality of the rest of my life.
Latest:
Patterns of Chemotherapy Administration in Patients With Intermediate-Grade Non-Hodgkin’s LymphomaRecords from 653 patients treated between 1991 and 1998 in the Oncology Practice Patterns Study (OPPS) were analyzed to determine contemporary chemotherapy delivery patterns in patients with intermediate-grade non-
Latest:
Propelling Immunotherapy Combinations Into the ClinicThis review summarizes promising new targets and immunotherapy combination strategies currently under clinical development.
Latest:
A Comparison of FDA and EMA Drug Approval: Implications for Drug Development and Cost of CareThe development and approval of oncology therapeutics has been facilitated by the cooperation and coordination of regulatory practices between the EMA and the FDA. However, there continue to be important differences between the decisions of the two agencies.
Latest:
Radiation Therapy in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: A Little Boost Gets You Over the Finish LineBradford S. Hoppe, MD, MPH, and Omran Saifi, MD, offer a peer perspective on research by Gavin Jones, MD, and colleagues into radiation therapy in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
Latest:
Sentinel Lymph Node Dissection in Vulvar Carcinoma: What Is the Acceptable False-Negative Rate?Although vulvar cancer is relatively rare, accounting for less than 5% of all cancers of the female genital organs, lymph node metastasis associated with vulvar carcinoma is a common event and occurs in about 25% of cases.[1] The presence and number of lymph node metastases is the single most important prognostic factor in vulvar cancer and a critical component to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging system, as well as a major determinant in the need for adjuvant therapy
Latest:
Commentary (Sendowski/Segal): Management of Health-Care–Associated Infections in the Oncology PatientInfections are major causes of morbidityand mortality in patientswith cancer. In certain instances,the malignancy itself can predisposepatients to severe or recurrent infections.For example, acute leukemiamay cause neutropenia and ensuingbacterial or fungal infection. Hypogammaglobulinemiaof chroniclymphocytic leukemia may be complicatedby infections due to encapsulatedbacteria. Patients withHodgkin’s lymphoma may sufferfrom recurrent varicella-zoster infections.Solid tumors may obstruct thelumens of respiratory, digestive, andurinary tracts, leading to bacterial infections.Nevertheless, the principalrisk of infectious complications is relatedto the intensity and duration ofimmunosuppressive chemotherapy.Patients with cancer constitute ahighly varied population, both interms of the underlying malignancyand in terms of their immunosuppression.In addition, a single patientmay have multiple predisposing factors,thus increasing the spectrum oflikely pathogens. When evaluating apatient with cancer for a possible infection,it is essential to develop aconceptual framework of quantitativeand qualitative immune defectsthe patient is likely to have, and thento stratify the risk for specific pathogensin the context of the history,physical exam, and laboratorydata.[1]
Latest:
Neoadjuvant Treatment for Surgically Resectable Metastatic Colorectal CancerHere, we review the studies that have explored different treatment regimens, therapeutic sequencing, and biologic inclusions for the treatment of these patients, with neoadjuvant intent. We also describe how we have established our own treatment paradigm for the management of potentially curable metastatic colorectal cancer.
Latest:
Targeted Therapy in Advanced Urothelial CarcinomaThis review focuses on targeted therapies related to these pathways of interest for the treatment of advanced urothelial carcinoma, describing the evidence to support further investigation of these approaches.
Latest:
Managing Prostate Cancer Surgical Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Brief Report of the Duke Cancer Institute’s Initial ExperienceExperts from the Duke Cancer Institute outline their current approach to stratifying surgical management of patients with prostate cancer.
Latest:
Thromboembolism and Bleeding in Bladder CancerOverall, approximately 2% of patients with bladder cancer will experience a venous thromboembolism event, a rate five times higher than that in the overall population; also, such an event results in a threefold increased risk of death in patients with cancer.
Latest:
Disorders of Sex Development and Malignant Germ Cell TumorsKey points: Patients with disorders of sex development (DSDs) are at an increased risk of malignant germ cell tumors (GCTs). In adulthood, the partial form of androgen insensitivity syndrome confers the greatest risk of developing malignant GCTs. Gonadoblastoma is the most common gonadal GCT arising in patients with DSDs. Despite being a benign neoplasm, it can undergo malignant transformation in up to 60% of patients with a DSD. Oncologic treatment in patients with disorders of sex development and malignant GCTs does not differ from the standard treatment for testicular GCTs. Treatment of patients with DSDs requires a multidisciplinary team, including a psychiatric, genetic, and reproductive assessment as well as the involvement of an ethics committee. An early diagnosis of DSDs is crucial to avoid the development of potentially serious complications in adulthood.
Latest:
Early Palliative Care: Moving From ‘Why’ to ‘How’Integrating palliative care from the time of diagnosis can support both patients and families through difficult periods and prepare them for the journey ahead. It can improve quality of life while curtailing healthcare spending and increasing satisfaction with oncology care.
Latest:
Human Papillomavirus and Head and Neck CancerAs outlined by Leslie Kim and colleagues in this issue of ONCOLOGY,[1] almost 650,000 new cases of head and neck cancer are identified and approximately 350,000 individuals die from this disease worldwide each year. Most cancers of the head and neck are squamous cell carcinomas and originate from one of five major sites: oral cavity, oropharynx, nasopharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx. Traditionally, tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption have been considered to be the main risk factors for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and, thus far, most prevention strategies and public health messages have focused on these two factors. However, as described in the review by Kim et al., there is increasing evidence that, independent of tobacco and alcohol exposure, oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a major risk factor for a specific subset of HNSCCs. We agree with the authors that this is an important public health concern, especially given the increasing prevalence of HPV infection in the US and Western Europe and our limited knowledge about the natural history of oral HPV infection. Here we summarize the role of HPV in HNSCC and discuss clinical implications.
Latest:
Update on Malignant MesotheliomaMesotheliomas are uncommon in the United States, with an incidenceof about 3,000 new cases per year (or a risk of about 11 per million Americansper year). Incidence and mortality, however, are probably underestimated.Most are associated with asbestos, although some have arisen inports of prior radiation, and a reported association with simian virus (SV)40remains controversial. About 85% of mesotheliomas arise in the pleura,about 9% in the peritoneum, and a small percentage in the pericardiumor tunica vaginalis testis. The histology of about half of mesotheliomas isepithelial (tubular papillary), with the remainder sarcomatous or mixed.Multicystic mesotheliomas and well-differentiated papillary mesotheliomasare associated with long survival in the absence of treatmentand should be excluded from clinical trials intended for the usual rapidlylethal histologic variants of the disease. The median survival isunder a year, although longer median survivals for selected patients,particularly those with epithelial histology, have been reported in somecombined-modality studies. Recent randomized trials have shown significantimprovement in time to progression and survival for the additionof new antifolates to platinum-based chemotherapy.
Latest:
Paclitaxel, UFT, and Calcium Folinate in Metastatic Breast CancerThis is a phase I dose-escalation study of uracil and tegafur (in a molar ratio of 4:1 [UFT]) administered in combination with calcium folinate and paclitaxel in metastatic breast cancer. This trial was initiated to 1)
