All News
Recently Released Data Show Benefits of FOLFOX4 Extend to Adjuvant Setting
August 1st 2003This special supplement to Oncology News International includes 28 reportswith updated information on clinical trials investigating capecitabine and other agents inthe treatment of advanced colorectal and breast cancers, and other solid tumors.The reports summarize selected presentations from the 39th Annual Meeting of theAmerican Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and related educational symposiaheld in conjunction with ASCO.
Multinational Trial Supports Use of Capecitabine Plus Oxaliplatin for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
August 1st 2003This special supplement to Oncology News International includes 28 reportswith updated information on clinical trials investigating capecitabine and other agents inthe treatment of advanced colorectal and breast cancers, and other solid tumors.The reports summarize selected presentations from the 39th Annual Meeting of theAmerican Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and related educational symposiaheld in conjunction with ASCO.
Capecitabine/Oxaliplatin Combination Reduces Treatment Costs in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
August 1st 2003This special supplement to Oncology News International includes 28 reportswith updated information on clinical trials investigating capecitabine and other agents inthe treatment of advanced colorectal and breast cancers, and other solid tumors.The reports summarize selected presentations from the 39th Annual Meeting of theAmerican Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and related educational symposiaheld in conjunction with ASCO.
Capecitabine Has Unique Qualities That May Make It A Suitable Substitute for 5-FU
August 1st 2003This special supplement to Oncology News International includes 28 reportswith updated information on clinical trials investigating capecitabine and other agents inthe treatment of advanced colorectal and breast cancers, and other solid tumors.The reports summarize selected presentations from the 39th Annual Meeting of theAmerican Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and related educational symposiaheld in conjunction with ASCO.
Improved Safety Profile of Capecitabine as Adjuvant Therapy Mirrors Metastatic Setting
August 1st 2003This special supplement to Oncology News International includes 28 reportswith updated information on clinical trials investigating capecitabine and other agents inthe treatment of advanced colorectal and breast cancers, and other solid tumors.The reports summarize selected presentations from the 39th Annual Meeting of theAmerican Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and related educational symposiaheld in conjunction with ASCO.
‘FOLFOX Should Be Considered as First-Line Standard of Care Over IFL or IROX’
August 1st 2003This special supplement to Oncology News International includes 28 reportswith updated information on clinical trials investigating capecitabine and other agents inthe treatment of advanced colorectal and breast cancers, and other solid tumors.The reports summarize selected presentations from the 39th Annual Meeting of theAmerican Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and related educational symposiaheld in conjunction with ASCO.
Treatment of Complications After Breast-Conservation Therapy
August 1st 2003Over the past 2 decades, breast-conservation therapy with lumpectomyand whole-breast radiotherapy has become a standard option for themajority of women with newly diagnosed breast cancer. Long-term localcontrol is achieved in approximately 85% of patients, and the therapy isgenerally well tolerated. There can, however, be long-term effects on thebreast and other nearby tissues that may range from asymptomaticfindings on examination to severe, debilitating problems. Infection, fatnecrosis, and severe musculoskeletal problems such as osteoradionecrosisor soft-tissue necrosis are uncommon, affecting less than 5% ofpatients. However, changes in range of motion, mild-to-moderate musculoskeletalpain, and arm and breast edema are much more common.As more women choose breast-conservation therapy for management oftheir breast cancer, physicians will encounter these problems, as well asin-breast tumor recurrence, with greater frequency. This review willfocus on the incidence, contributing factors, and management of thelate problems of infection, fat necrosis, musculoskeletal complications,and local recurrence following breast-conservation therapy.
Commentary (Mendenhall): Treatment of Complications After Breast-Conservation Therapy
August 1st 2003Breast-conserving therapy maywell be the best-studied therapyin all of medicine, with dataavailable from seven mature prospectiverandomized trials that comparedoutcomes with the “gold standard” ofablative mastectomy, as well as datafrom specific programs across thecountry and globe, reflecting a broadrange of clinical and technical skillsand philosophic and technical variationson the theme of breast-conservingtherapy. However, relatively littlehas been published on the late effectsof this therapy. Frassica et al havedone an excellent job of producing adescriptive catalog of the majority ofpotential late effects in patients whosurvive breast-conserving therapy,complete with suggestions regardingmanagement.
Commentary (Deutsch): Treatment of Complications After Breast-Conservation Therapy
August 1st 2003Sequelae that affect quality of lifein women following breastconservationtherapy can begrouped into three categories: (1) thosethat affect cosmesis such as skinchanges, distortion, and asymmetry ofthe breasts; (2) those that cause physicalsymptoms such as local pain, decreasedmobility of the ipsilateralshoulder, and in extreme cases, respiratoryand cardiovascular impairments;and (3) those that require furthertreatment such as breast infection andabscess, arm edema, soft-tissue andbone necrosis, rib fractures, in-breasttumor recurrence, and second malignancieswithin the treated area.
Commentary (Fowble): Treatment of Complications After Breast-Conservation Therapy
August 1st 2003The 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]
Commentary (Barker/Garden): The Multidisciplinary Management of Paragangliomas of the Head and Neck
August 1st 2003We have reviewed with interestthe article by Drs. Huand Persky and would liketo congratulate them on an excellentand comprehensive overview of theevaluation and management ofparagangliomas of the head and neck.Their review begins with an excellentlydetailed description of thedisease and staging work-up. Withmodern imaging, most paragangliomasare convincingly diagnosed basedon typical location (carotid bifurcation,nodose ganglia of the vagusnerve, middle ear along tympanic plexus,or near jugular bulb) and characteristicradiographic appearance(hypervascular, intensely enhancingmass). A tissue diagnosis is usuallyunnecessary for such lesions.
The Multidisciplinary Management of Paragangliomas of the Head and Neck, Part 1
July 1st 2003Paragangliomas most commonly occur in the carotid body, jugulotympanicarea, and vagus nerve but have also been reported in otherareas of the head and neck. These tumors are highly vascular andcharacteristically have early blood vessel and neural involvement,making their treatment particularly challenging. Surgery has traditionallybeen the preferred method of treatment, especially in light of recentadvances in technique. However, compared to radiation therapy, it canresult in a higher incidence of cranial nerve dysfunction. Radiationtherapy has the advantage of avoiding the increased morbidity ofsurgery while offering an equal possibility of cure. Part 1 of this two-partarticle focuses on techniques for diagnosing paraganglioma and theindications for and use of surgery as primary treatment. The complicationscommonly associated with surgery are reviewed, and strategies forrehabilitation of affected patients are presented.
Low-Dose Chemotherapy Appears Promising in Pediatric PTLD
June 1st 2003NEW YORK-A low-dose cyclophosphamide/prednisone regimen is effective for treating children with refractory lymphoproliferative disease after a solid organ transplant, according to results of a prospective study including 36 children. The total response rate was 86% for this group, which is the largest series of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) patients treated uniformly with chemotherapy. Two-year overall survival was 73%.
Zoledronic Acid Reduces Skeletal Complications, Bone Pain
June 1st 2003CHICAGO-Zoledronic acid (Zometa) significantly decreased skeletal complications and bone pain in men with hormone-refractory prostate cancer and bone metastases, compared with placebo, according to an update of a phase III study presented at the 2003 Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association (abstracts 1472 and 1473).
Cancer Control Efforts for Asian Americans Focus on West Coast
June 1st 2003LOS ANGELES-Efforts to boost cancer screening and education among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are growing. Much of the activity is on the West Coast, the heart of Asian-American life in the United States and the main entry point for new immigrants from Asia and the Pacific Islands.
New Salvage Regimen for Glioma Shows Promise
June 1st 2003HONOLULU-Salvage therapy with cisplatin (Platinol), etoposide (VP-16), and vincristine (CVV) for recurrent malignant gliomas has moderate activity that may lead to long-term stabilization in heavily pretreated patients, according to H. Lee Moffitt investigators who presented their findings at the 55th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (abstract P01.001).
Commentary (Lipton): The Multidisciplinary Approach to Bone Metastases
June 1st 2003The most common malignant tumorsfrequently metastasize tothe skeleton. Although bonemetastases occur frequently with nearlyall tumors, some cancers (eg, breastand prostate cancer) have a specialpredilection for the skeleton. Complicationsassociated with skeletal metastasessubstantially erode thepatient’s quality of life. These skeletal-related events (SREs) include spinalcord compression, fracture,surgery, radiation therapy, and hypercalcemia.On average, patients withbone metastases experience three tofour SREs per year (one every 3 to 4months). In addition, they frequentlyhave pain and require narcotics, whicherode their quality of life.
Commentary (Coleman): The Multidisciplinary Approach to Bone Metastases
June 1st 2003Bone is the most frequent andimportant site of metastaticcancer and is responsible foran enormous clinical burden and demandon health-care resources. Blumand colleagues comprehensively reviewthe management of bone metastases,argue for a more integratedcare pathway, and underscore the importanceof bone-specific treatmentsin reducing skeletal complications tomaintain quality of life and physicalfunctioning.
The Multidisciplinary Approach to Bone Metastases
May 31st 2003With recent advances in the management of cancer, the clinicalcourse of patients with metastatic bone disease is more likely to beprolonged and accompanied by morbidity, including severe pain, hypercalcemia,pathologic fracture, and spinal cord and/or nerve root compression.The early identification of patients at higher risk for developingbone metastases enables practitioners to be proactive in their diagnosisand treatment. A multidisciplinary approach that integrates the diagnosisand treatment of the cancer, symptom management, and rehabilitationensures optimal care. Bisphosphonates can reduce the number ofskeletal-related complications, delay the onset of progressive disease inbone, and relieve metastatic bone pain caused by a variety of solidtumors with a resulting enhanced quality of life. The complexity of theclinical problem and the need to involve an array of health-careproviders present a logistical and clinical challenge. A strong argumentis made for a thematically integrated bone metastases program as partof the primary care of patients with cancer.
Forward Planning IMRT Targets Tumor Bed
May 1st 2003CHICAGO-After breast-conserving surgery, patients who receive intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) shaped to the outline of the targeted tumor bed, as determined by three-dimensional (3D) CT imaging, achieve good results with a reduced radiation dose, according to a clinical study reported at the 88th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (abstract 335). The technique is known as forward planning IMRT (see images).
