Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Oncology for February 2010. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Personalized Tumor Biomarkers Monitor Treatment Efficacy
FRIDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Personalized tumor-specific biomarkers based on the chromosomal rearrangements present in an individual patient can be detected with high sensitivity in blood and used to monitor the efficacy of treatment in cancer patients, according to a study in the Feb. 24 issue of Science Translational Medicine.
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Outcomes Similar for Open and Laparoscopic Prostate Surgery
FRIDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Men with prostate cancer have similar postoperative complications and need for additional treatment regardless of whether they undergo radical prostatectomy by an open or laparoscopic procedure, according to a study published online Feb. 25 in The Journal of Urology.
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Removing Opposite Breast Improves Survival Slightly
FRIDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Prophylactic removal of the opposite breast has a slight survival benefit in younger women with early-stage estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer, according to a study published online Feb. 25 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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Role of Diet in Bladder Cancer Patient Care Assessed
THURSDAY, Feb. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Certain foods are associated with an increased or a decreased risk of bladder cancer, and diet should be a component of care for patients with the disease, according to an article published in the February issue of Urology.
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Treating H. Pylori Bacteria Effective for Gastric Lymphoma
THURSDAY, Feb. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Eradication of Helicobacter pylori in the stomachs of patients with early-stage gastric lymphoma results in the remission of approximately 75 percent of them, according to a meta-analysis reported in the February issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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Annual Colonoscopy Helpful for High-Risk Cancer Group
THURSDAY, Feb. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Annual colonoscopies can provide timely detection of early-stage colorectal cancer (CRC) in the high-risk group of people with the genetic condition known as hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), according to a study in the February issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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Combination Procedure May Be Best for Endometrial Cancer
THURSDAY, Feb. 25 (HealthDay News) -- In endometrial cancer patients at high risk of recurrence, combined pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy reduces the risk of recurrence significantly better than systemic pelvic lymphadenectomy, according to a study published online Feb. 25 in The Lancet.
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Vitamin D Receptor Inhibitors Block Prostate Cancer Growth
THURSDAY, Feb. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Vitamin D receptor (VDR) agonists can reduce the growth of prostate cancer cells containing a common, androgen-regulated, growth-promoting gene fusion, according to a study published online Feb. 10 in Endocrinology.
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Model Predicts Risk of Prostate Cancer After Negative Biopsy
THURSDAY, Feb. 25 (HealthDay News) -- A model that takes changes in risk factors over time into account can predict who is at high risk of developing prostate cancer among men whose biopsies are initially negative, according to a study published online Feb. 22 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Lasofoxifene Examined in Postmenopausal Women
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 24 (HealthDay News) -- The nonsteroidal selective estrogen-receptor modulator lasofoxifene may reduce the risk of fractures, stroke, estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer, and coronary heart disease in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. However, the drug significantly increases the risk of venous thromboembolic events, according to a study in the Feb. 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Nephron-Sparing Surgery Viable Option in Kidney Cancer
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Nephron-sparing surgery confers the same degree of cancer control as radical nephrectomy when treating T1bN0M0 renal cell carcinoma, according to a study in the February issue of Urology.
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Biomarkers Suboptimal for Early Liver Cancer Detection
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Two biomarkers are less effective than ultrasound in detecting early liver cancer in high-risk patients with advanced hepatitis C, according to a study in the February issue of Gastroenterology.
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Physicians Working Fewer Hours for Lower Fees
TUESDAY, Feb. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians in the United States have been working fewer hours for lower fees in the past decade, according to research published in the Feb. 24 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Novartis Updates Exjade Prescribing Information
MONDAY, Feb. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Novartis Oncology has alerted health care professionals about changes in the prescribing information for deferasirox (Exjade), a treatment for chronic iron overload due to blood transfusions in patients 2 years of age and older, according to a Feb. 18 safety alert issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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Chemical Tags May Be Key in Metabolic Regulation
MONDAY, Feb. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Acetylation has an important role in the regulation of metabolism, with nearly all enzymes involved in a variety of processes in the human liver found to be acetylated, according to research published in the Feb. 19 issue of Science. The researchers state these findings provide novel clues on how normal cells function and may lead to information on why normal cells turn cancerous.
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Toxic Chemicals Released During Cooking Can Be Harmful
MONDAY, Feb. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Pan-frying foods such as beefsteak produces more hazardous fumes when done over a gas stove burner than on an electric cooker, which may contribute to or cause adverse health effects, according to a study published online Feb. 17 in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
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Cell-Free DNA Integrity May Serve as Marker in Kidney Cancer
MONDAY, Feb. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Serum cell-free DNA (cf-DNA) integrity may serve as a predictive marker for the diagnosis and detection of clear renal cell carcinoma (cRCC), according to a study in the February issue of Urology.
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Medical Checklists Needed to Improve Care and Outcomes
MONDAY, Feb. 22 (HealthDay News) -- The checklists so common in aviation and many professions are underused in medicine and, if more widely adopted, would provide powerful tools to standardize care and improve patient outcomes, according to an article published Dec. 31 in Critical Care.
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Rituxan Approved for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
FRIDAY, Feb. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Rituxan (rituximab) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat a slowly progressing form of blood and bone marrow cancer known as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the agency said in a press release.
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Tobacco Use Linked to HPV+ Oropharynx Cancer Recurrence
FRIDAY, Feb. 19 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with advanced human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx (SCCOP) who achieve a complete response to chemoradiation therapy, current smokers are at higher risk of disease recurrence and tend to have worse disease-specific survival, according to a study published online Feb. 15 in Clinical Cancer Research.
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Many Adults in Utah Report Using Opioids Incorrectly
FRIDAY, Feb. 19 (HealthDay News) -- In 2008, one-fifth of adults in Utah had been prescribed an opioid pain medication in the past year, with some respondents reporting use of these medications despite no prescription for them, according to an article in the Feb. 19 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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New System Aims to Improve Blood Transfusion Safety
FRIDAY, Feb. 19 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has started a national surveillance system to monitor adverse events in patients who receive blood transfusions, the agency has announced.
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Hormone Replacement Therapy Linked to Lung Cancer
THURSDAY, Feb. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Older women who receive estrogen plus progestin hormone replacement therapy (HRT), especially for long periods of time, may have an increased risk of lung cancer, according to a study published online Feb. 16 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Breast Cancer Decline Linked to Hormone Therapy Decline
THURSDAY, Feb. 18 (HealthDay News) -- The rise and fall in U.S. breast cancer rates from 1992 to 2005 mainly reflects affluent white (non-Hispanic) women initially adopting then abandoning hormone replacement therapy (HRT) because of its breast cancer risk, according to a study published online Feb. 10 in the American Journal of Public Health.
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Exercise May Lower Risk of Postmenopausal Breast Cancer
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 17 (HealthDay News) -- In previously inactive, mostly overweight, postmenopausal women, participation in a program of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise may result in sex hormone changes that are associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer, according to a study published online Feb. 16 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Aspirin Use Linked to Fewer Breast Cancer Deaths
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Women with breast cancer who take aspirin several days a week have a lower risk of death or recurrence, according to a study published online Feb. 15 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents Safety Plan Approved
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Under a new safety plan approved Feb. 16 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, physicians will be required to provide all patients prescribed Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents (ESAs) with a Medication Guide, and to receive specific training and certification for the proper use of these agents in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.
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Photodynamic Therapy Found to Strengthen Rat Vertebrae
TUESDAY, Feb. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Photodynamic therapy (PDT) improves the spinal bone structure, stiffness and strength in rats and may offer a way to ablate metastatic tumor tissue and strengthen the spines of human cancer patients, according to a study in the Feb. 1 issue of Spine.
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Racial Disparities Seen in New York Surgical Patients
TUESDAY, Feb. 16 (HealthDay News) -- In New York City, minority patients are significantly less likely than Caucasians to use high-volume surgeons and hospitals when undergoing procedures with an established volume-mortality association, according to a study in the February issue of the Archives of Surgery.
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Superficial Venous Thrombosis May Herald Greater Risks
TUESDAY, Feb. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Given that many patients with superficial venous thrombosis (SVT) also have deep venous thrombosis (DVT) at presentation, and a considerable number develop thromboembolic complications in following months, SVT may be more of a concern than previously thought, according to research published in the Feb. 16 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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NSAIDs Not Found to Affect Skin Cancer Risk
TUESDAY, Feb. 16 (HealthDay News) -- The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) does not have any effect on the risk for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), according to a California study published online Feb. 15 in the Archives of Dermatology.
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Metastatic Prostate Cancer Mechanism Identified
MONDAY, Feb. 15 (HealthDay News) -- An oncogene tumor-suppressor cascade may drive metastatic prostate cancer, according to research published online Feb. 14 in Nature Medicine.
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2009 H1N1-Related Deaths and Hospitalizations Examined
MONDAY, Feb. 15 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has provided updated estimates of the 2009 H1N1 cases, related hospitalizations and deaths, with approximately 57 million cases occurring between April 2009 and January 2010.
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MRI Benefit in Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Questioned
FRIDAY, Feb. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in addition to the usual triple assessment for breast cancer diagnosis does not reduce the risk of repeat operation and is not a good use of resources, according to a study published in the Feb. 13 issue of The Lancet.
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Protein May Block Letrozole Therapy in Breast Cancer
THURSDAY, Feb. 11 (HealthDay News) -- The overexpression of low-molecular-weight cyclin E (LMW-E) in the tumors of many menopausal women with estrogen-receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancers nullifies the effects of letrozole, an aromatase inhibitor. However, letrozole's effect can be restored by adding the cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) inhibitor roscovitine to treatment, according to a study published online Feb. 9 in Clinical Cancer Research.
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Systemic Treatment Deemed Effective for Giant-Cell Tumor
THURSDAY, Feb. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Denosumab, an antibody that targets cells involved in bone destruction, is the first systemic treatment shown to be effective in treating giant-cell tumor, a rare osteolytic tumor that can metastasize to the lung, according to a study published online Feb. 10 in The Lancet Oncology.
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Laparoscopic Practice Takes Physical Toll on Surgeons
THURSDAY, Feb. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Many surgeons who perform laparoscopic surgery suffer pain, numbness, stiffness, fatigue and other physical symptoms, often as a result of high case load, according to a study published online Dec. 24 ahead of print in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
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Study Supports Accelerated Whole-Breast Irradiation
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Whole-breast irradiation spread over fewer days (accelerated, hypofractionated radiation) following breast-conserving surgery for cancer appears non-inferior to standard radiation treatment, according to research published in the Feb. 11 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. This adds to a study recently released Online First in The Lancet Oncology, which showed that hypofractionated radiotherapy for breast cancer patients may provide a better quality of life with no evidence of an increase in adverse effects.
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Reducing Skin Toxicity During Cancer Treatment Studied
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Preemptive treatment reduces the development of high-grade skin toxicity (the most common adverse event observed with inhibitors of the epidermal growth factor receptor) by more than half in patients with colorectal cancer receiving panitumumab-containing therapy, according to a study published online Feb. 8 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Better Quality of Life Linked to Hypofractionated Radiation Doses
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Radiation given as fewer but larger doses (hypofractionated radiotherapy) is associated with better quality of life than the standard treatment of more lower doses in women with early-stage breast cancer, according to a study published online Feb. 8 in The Lancet Oncology.
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AHRQ: U.S. Adults Seeing Big Barriers to Specialty Care
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 10 (HealthDay News) -- In 2007, about one in 13 of U.S. adults reported that access to specialist care was a "big problem," according to a December report issued by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
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FDA Initiative Aims to Cut Medical Radiation Exposure
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 10 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has launched a new initiative that aims to reduce exposure to radiation from computed tomography (CT), nuclear medicine studies and fluoroscopy, the three procedures that are the main sources of medically-related radiation exposure.
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Tamoxifen Treatment Linked to Worse Cognitive Function
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Postmenopausal women with breast cancer have worse cognitive function after treatment with tamoxifen but not exemestane, according to a study published online Feb. 8 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Pathway Activation Profiles Linked to Cancer Survival
TUESDAY, Feb. 9 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), particular oncogenic pathway activation profiles are associated with recurrence-free survival, and these profiles vary depending on the age and gender of the individual, according to research published in the Feb. 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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New Research Points to Threat in Thirdhand Tobacco Smoke
TUESDAY, Feb. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Nicotine left on surfaces from tobacco smoke can combine with ambient nitrous oxide to create carcinogens, raising new concern over the health effects of so-called thirdhand smoke, according to research published online Feb. 8 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Paroxetine May Compromise the Efficacy of Tamoxifen
TUESDAY, Feb. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Women with breast cancer who take tamoxifen and the antidepressant paroxetine (Paxil), which has been hypothesized to reduce the effectiveness of tamoxifen, may be at higher risk of dying of breast cancer, according to research published online Feb. 8 in BMJ.
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Reimbursement Changes in Office Endoscopies Studied
TUESDAY, Feb. 9 (HealthDay News) -- A 2005 increase in Medicare reimbursement to encourage office-based endoscopic surgeries for bladder cancer instead of more costly hospital surgeries had the unintended effect of disproportionately increasing in-office procedures and driving up Medicare costs, according to a study published online Feb. 8 in Cancer.
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CD Increases Knowledge, Comfort With Genetic Testing
TUESDAY, Feb. 9 (HealthDay News) -- A CD-based educational aid can increase knowledge of and comfort with genetic testing in patients at high risk of developing cancer, and may facilitate informed consent, according to a study published online Feb. 8 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Fewer States Preempting Local Smoke-Free Rules
MONDAY, Feb. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Some progress has been made on the Healthy People 2010 goal of eliminating state laws which enable states to preempt local restrictions on smoke-free areas that are more stringent than state laws, according to an article published in the Feb. 5 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Soft Drinks Linked to Pancreatic Cancer in Chinese
MONDAY, Feb. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Consuming two or more soft drinks per week may be associated with a higher risk of pancreatic cancer in middle-aged and elderly Chinese individuals, although results from previous studies in primarily Caucasian populations have been mixed, according to a study in the February issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
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Economic Status Linked to Anxiety, Depression in Cancer
MONDAY, Feb. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Women with low socioeconomic status (SES) who are diagnosed with breast cancer are likely to suffer higher levels of anxiety and depression than women with medium or high SES, according to a study published online Feb. 8 in Cancer.
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H1N1 Vaccination Still Highly Recommended
MONDAY, Feb. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Despite H1N1 virus levels stabilizing, transmission remains an issue and vaccination continues to be an effective option for prevention of this potentially serious condition, according to a Feb. 5 press briefing by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
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Few Women Taking Tamoxifen to Prevent Breast Cancer
MONDAY, Feb. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Well below 1 percent of American women without a personal history of breast cancer have been taking tamoxifen to prevent breast cancer in the past decade, according to a report in the February issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
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Behavioral Health Factors Linked to HPV Vaccination
MONDAY, Feb. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Certain behavioral health factors may potentially be associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine acceptability, according to research published in the February issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
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Many American Adults Do Not Get Recommended Vaccines
MONDAY, Feb. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Although most parents ensure their children are vaccinated, adults often do not receive recommended vaccinations themselves, according to a new report, Adult Immunization: Shots to Save Lives.
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Physical Inactivity, Not Just Lack of Exercise, Harms Health
FRIDAY, Feb. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Sedentary behavior and a lack of whole-body movement are independent predictors of increased mortality and increased incidence of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer, regardless of level of physical exercise, according to an article published online Feb. 4 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
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Coalition Launches Campaign to Limit Residents' Hours
FRIDAY, Feb. 5 (HealthDay News) -- To prevent medical errors caused by doctor fatigue, a coalition of public interest and patient safety groups is urging the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) to limit the amount of time residents must work without sleep to 16 hours and to increase resident supervision.
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Study Assesses Survival in Patients With Liver Disease
FRIDAY, Feb. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Individuals with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have a higher risk of death than the general population, according to research published in the February issue of Hepatology.
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Many African-Americans Do Not Protect Skin From the Sun
FRIDAY, Feb. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Many African-Americans are not protecting their skin from sun damage, with less than a third always using even one form of sun protection, according to a study published online Feb. 2 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
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Health Care Spending Makes Record Leap in GDP Share
THURSDAY, Feb. 4 (HealthDay News) -- A growth in health spending in 2009, coupled with a sagging economy, created the largest one-year jump in health care's share of the nation's gross domestic product since 1960, according to an article published online Feb. 4 in Health Affairs.
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Diversity Growth Incremental in the Medical Professions
THURSDAY, Feb. 4 (HealthDay News) -- One hundred years after the Flexner Report recommended closing five of the seven African-American medical schools then extant, African-Americans and other minorities remain grossly underrepresented in the medical professions, according to an article in the February issue of Academic Medicine.
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Not All Terminally Ill Receive Desired End-of-Life Care
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Most terminally ill patients receive end-of-life care consistent with their stated preferences, and are more likely to receive the care they prefer if they have discussed their preferences with a physician, according to a study published online Feb. 1 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Vendors of Imaging Equipment Urged to Allow Tracked Exposure
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Due to the increasing exposure to diagnostic radiation, vendors of imaging equipment should allow tracking of radiation exposure, according to an opinion article in the February Journal of the American College of Radiology. A related opinion in the same issue notes that diagnostic radiation exposure has the potential to harm not only the individual but also future generations through processes such as epigenetics.
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Role of Artemin in Endometrial Cancer Investigated
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Endometrial tumors that produce high levels of artemin are more oncogenic and invasive, according to a study published online Jan. 29 in Endocrinology.
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The Lancet Retracts Study Linking MMR Vaccine, Autism
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- On Feb. 2, The Lancet retracted a controversial 1998 study that linked the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to autism and gastrointestinal problems.
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Symptoms Poor Predictors of Ovarian Cancer
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Despite a recent consensus statement encouraging use of certain symptoms in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer, symptoms such as abdominal pain or urinary urgency are poor predictors of the disease, particularly early-stage disease, according to a study published online Jan. 28 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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Androgen Deprivation Therapy and Cardiac Risk Link Assessed
TUESDAY, Feb. 2 (HealthDay News) -- The use of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) to treat prostate cancer may be associated with cardiovascular risk, according to an article published online Feb. 1 in Circulation.
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Extended Use of Nicotine Patch Linked to Benefits
TUESDAY, Feb. 2 (HealthDay News) -- The use of transdermal nicotine patches for an extended duration, compared to the standard eight-week therapy, may improve the chances of smoking abstinence, according to research published in the Feb. 2 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Late Mortality May Be Decreasing in Childhood Cancer Survivors
TUESDAY, Feb. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Late mortality among five-year survivors of childhood cancer has dropped significantly in the past few decades, largely due to fewer deaths from recurrence or progression, according to a study published online Feb. 1 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. In a related study in the same issue, researchers report that the expression of 34 genes predicts outcomes in patients with rhabdomyosarcoma.
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Estrogen Levels Linked to Breast Cancer Gene Expression
TUESDAY, Feb. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Plasma estrogen levels are correlated with the expression of estrogen-dependent genes in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancers, according to a study published online Feb. 1 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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President Proposes $911 Billion Budget for HHS
TUESDAY, Feb. 2 (HealthDay News) -- As part of his 2011 budget proposal, President Barack Obama has proposed $911 billion for the U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Department, according to a Feb. 1 announcement by the secretary of HHS, Kathleen Sebelius.
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Partial Nephrectomy Use Low for Renal Cell Carcinoma
MONDAY, Feb. 1 (HealthDay News) -- The use of laparoscopic radical nephrectomy may have reduced the use of partial nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma, according to research published in the February issue of The Journal of Urology.
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Transplant Type Found to Have No Effect on Leukemia Survival
MONDAY, Feb. 1 (HealthDay News) -- In leukemia patients, long-term survival rates are similar in those who were transplanted with either peripheral blood stem cells or bone marrow, according to a study published online Feb. 1 in The Lancet Oncology.
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BMI Thresholds May Be Too Restrictive for Older Adults
MONDAY, Feb. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Body mass index thresholds are too restrictive for older adults, who are at no greater risk of mortality if they are overweight versus normal weight, according to a study in the February issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Approval Expanded for Breast Cancer Drug Tykerb
MONDAY, Feb. 1 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has expanded approval for Tykerb (lapatinib) to include postmenopausal women with hormone- and HER2-positive advanced breast cancer who require hormone therapy.
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