Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Hematology & Oncology for June 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.
Cyclosporine After Transplant Tied to De Novo Cancer Risk
WEDNESDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- Immunosuppressive treatment with cyclosporine A (CsA), rather than tacrolimus (TAC), with dose level monitoring two hours post-dosing (C2 monitoring) or in patients age 50 or younger appears to have a significant association with the development of de novo cancer after liver transplantation, according to research published in the July issue of Liver Transplantation.
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Overweight Linked to Cancer Mortality in Asia-Pacific Region
WEDNESDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- Overweight and obese individuals in groups across the Asia-Pacific region have a higher risk of death from cancer than normal-weight individuals in the region, according to research published online June 30 in The Lancet Oncology.
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Many Breast Cancer Patients Don't Adhere to Therapy
WEDNESDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- Only half of hormone-sensitive stage I to III breast cancer patients prescribed adjuvant hormonal therapy adhere to that therapy for the full duration at the optimal schedule, and younger women in particular are at high risk of non-adherence, according to a study published online June 28 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Mammograms for Poor Insured Rise With Stepwise Reminders
TUESDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) -- A stepwise screening mammogram reminder program significantly increases the likelihood that an insured, very low-income woman will obtain a mammogram, according to research published online June 29 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
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14 Percent of Cancer Survivors Live With Minor Children
TUESDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) -- Nationwide, an estimated 1.58 million cancer survivors live with their minor children, representing a large number of families who confront special challenges and may need additional support, according to research published online June 28 in Cancer.
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Statins May Slow Post-Surgery Cancer Recurrence
TUESDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) -- In men who undergo radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer, those who take statins have a decreased risk of biochemical recurrence, according to research published online June 28 in Cancer.
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Doctors Agree Malpractice Fears Drive Overuse of Tests
MONDAY, June 28 (HealthDay News) -- A large majority of physicians agree that the practice of defensive medicine -- stemming from malpractice concerns -- is responsible for an overuse of medical tests and procedures, according to a research letter in the June 28 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Venous Thromboembolism Risk Factors Vary by Race
MONDAY, June 28 (HealthDay News) -- Black Americans with venous thromboembolism (VTE) are less likely to have commonly recognized transient risk factors for the condition, are more likely to have cardiovascular disease risk factors, and are more likely to progress to pulmonary embolism than are white Americans, according to research published in the July issue of the American Journal of Hematology.
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Insecticide Exposure May Increase Prostate Cancer Risk
FRIDAY, June 25 (HealthDay News) -- Exposure to the estrogenic insecticide chlordecone is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer, according to a study published online June 21 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Active Surveillance Sound Approach to Prostate Cancer
FRIDAY, June 25 (HealthDay News) -- Active surveillance appears to be a sound approach to managing prostate cancer with a favorable risk profile, according to a review published in the July issue of The Journal of Urology.
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Phone Reminders Up Colorectal Cancer Screening Rate
THURSDAY, June 22 (HealthDay News) -- An automated telephone intervention appears to increase the completion of fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) for colorectal cancer screening, according to a study published in the July issue of Medical Care.
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Cytology Limits Seen in Low-Risk Patients With Hematuria
THURSDAY, June 24 (HealthDay News) -- During evaluation of low-risk patients with asymptomatic microscopic hematuria (AMH), voided urine cytology is associated with a substantial cost without providing a diagnostic benefit, according to research published in the June issue of Urology.
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Parents Divided Over Genetic Testing of Minors for Cancer
THURSDAY, June 24 (HealthDay News) -- Genetic testing of minors for adult hereditary cancer syndromes is not currently recommended, and parents' opinions on testing of minors for BRCA1/2 mutations are divided, according to research published online June 21 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Prostate Cancer Endocrine Treatment Increases CVD Risk
THURSDAY, June 24 (HealthDay News) -- Men with prostate cancer who receive endocrine treatment (ET) have a modest increase in risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), suggesting that clinicians should consider CVD risk when prescribing this treatment, according to a study published online June 21 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Underinsured African-Americans With Breast Cancer Fare Worse
THURSDAY, June 24 (HealthDay News) -- Underinsured African-American patients are more likely to experience poorer breast cancer-specific survival than their non-Hispanic white counterparts, though the effect of race on survival is not statistically significant after adjustment for sociodemographic and clinical factors, according to research published online June 23 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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Gefitinib Extends Life in Lung Cancer Patients With Mutation
WEDNESDAY, June 23 (HealthDay News) -- Gefitinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), is more effective than standard chemotherapy in extending life for patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have EGFR mutations, according to a study published in the June 24 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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In Older Women, HPV Results Useful for Colposcopy Triage
WEDNESDAY, June 23 (HealthDay News) -- Human papillomavirus (HPV) and Pap test results can be used together in some cases to triage patients for further evaluation for cervical cancer with colposcopy, according to research published in the July issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Childhood Cancer Risk Not Linked to Cell Tower Exposure
WEDNESDAY, June 23 (HealthDay News) -- The risk of early childhood cancer does not appear to be linked to a mother's exposure to a mobile phone base station during pregnancy, according to a study published June 22 in BMJ.
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Oral Bisphosphonate Use May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk
WEDNESDAY, June 23 (HealthDay News) -- The use of oral bisphosphonates by postmenopausal women appears to significantly reduce the risk of some breast cancers, according to a pair of studies published online June 21 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Abstract - Chlebowski
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Coffee Inversely Linked to Risk of Oral, Pharyngeal Cancer
WEDNESDAY, June 23 (HealthDay News) -- Drinking caffeinated coffee appears to be associated with a lower risk of cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx, according to research published online June 22 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
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Folic Acid, B12 Do Not Reduce Vascular Events
TUESDAY, June 22 (HealthDay News) -- Supplementation with folic acid and vitamin B12 over an extended period does not have a beneficial effect on vascular outcomes in individuals who have had a myocardial infarction, but it also poses no excess cancer risk, according to a study in the June 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Imaging Combo Holds Promise for Breast Cancer Detection
TUESDAY, June 22 (HealthDay News) -- Ultrasound-guided optical tomography appears to be an effective means for differentiating early-stage breast cancers from benign lesions, and it has the potential to reduce the number of breast biopsies women undergo for suspicious lesions, according to research published online June 22 in Radiology.
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AML Drug Mylotarg Voluntarily Withdrawn From U.S. Market
TUESDAY, June 22 (HealthDay News) -- Gemtuzumab ozogamicin (Mylotarg) -- used in treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML) -- has been voluntarily withdrawn from the U.S. market following concerns over a recent clinical trial, according to a June 21 news release from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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Surveillance Colonoscopy Can Be Cost-Effective
TUESDAY, June 22 (HealthDay News) -- Surveillance colonoscopy is cost-effective for patients at high risk of colorectal cancer, but aggressive surveillance may be expensive or harmful, according to research published in the June issue of Gastroenterology.
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Incidence Rate of Rare Skin Carcinoma on the Rise
TUESDAY, June 22 (HealthDay News) -- The incidence rate (IR) for cutaneous appendageal carcinoma (CAC) in the United States is low and varies by sex/ethnic group, but it has been increasing, possibly partly due to increased ultraviolet exposure and improvements in diagnosis, according to research published in the June issue of the Archives of Dermatology.
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Watchful Waiting May Suffice in Low-Risk Prostate Cancer
MONDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with prostate cancer that has a low risk of progression, active surveillance is associated with a low death rate, suggesting that it may be a sufficient management approach, according to research published online June 18 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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Colon Capsule Endoscopy Detects Polyps Effectively
MONDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- Colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) appears to be an effective noninvasive colorectal cancer (CRC) screening technique, as its sensitivity for polyps and significant findings compares favorably with other noninvasive CRC screening approaches, according to research published in the June issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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Low Proportion of Cirrhosis Patients Screened for HCC
FRIDAY, June 18 (HealthDay News) -- Fewer than 20 percent of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have previously had cirrhosis receive regular screening in the three years before being diagnosed with HCC, and those seeing only primary care doctors are least likely to be screened, according to research published in the July issue of Hepatology.
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Gene Mutation Increases Clot Risk in Women on Tamoxifen
FRIDAY, June 18 (HealthDay News) -- Women taking adjuvant tamoxifen for early-stage breast cancer who develop a thromboembolism (TE) are nearly five times more likely to carry the factor V Leiden (FVL) mutation than women on the medication who don't have a TE, according to a study published online June 16 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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Tasigna Approval Widened to Include Early Stages of Rare Leukemia
FRIDAY, June 18 (HealthDay News) -- The anti-cancer drug Tasigna (nilotinib) has received new approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to include people in the early stages of a rare blood cancer called Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+CP-CML), the agency said in a news release.
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Smoking Linked to Higher Risk of Flat Colorectal Adenomas
FRIDAY, June 18 (HealthDay News) -- Smoking appears to be an important risk factor for flat colorectal adenomas, which may explain the earlier onset and advanced stage at presentation of colorectal cancer in smokers, according to research published in the June issue of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
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Jevtana Approved for Advanced Prostate Cancer
THURSDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- The chemotherapy drug Jevtana (cabazitaxel) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat advanced prostate cancer that worsens despite use of a standard drug therapy, docetaxel.
approval history
Colonoscopies Every 1-2 Years Urged for Those at Genetic Risk
THURSDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- Getting surveillance colonoscopies every one to two years instead of every two to three years is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) for members of families with Lynch syndrome, according to a study in the June issue of Gastroenterology.
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Payment Cut for Chemo Linked to Higher Treatment Rate
THURSDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act, which steeply reduced payment rates for chemotherapy drugs given on an outpatient basis starting in January 2005, has resulted in an increased likelihood that Medicare recipients with lung cancer will receive chemotherapy, according to research published online June 17 in Health Affairs.
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Consensus Statement Explores Diabetes-Cancer Link
WEDNESDAY, June 16 (HealthDay News) -- Having type 2 diabetes is associated with an increased risk of several types of cancer, and the increased risk may be due to shared risk factors, though more research is needed to definitively answer many ongoing questions, according to a consensus report released by the American Diabetes Association and the American Cancer Society and published online June 16 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
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Mismatched Graft Effective in Adult Leukemia Treatment
WEDNESDAY, June 16 (HealthDay News) -- Unrelated donor umbilical cord blood (UCB) appears to result in similar outcomes as allele-matched bone marrow and peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) transplants for adults with leukemia, and may be a viable alternative when matches for the second two options cannot be found, according to research published online June 16 in The Lancet Oncology.
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Novel Approach Shows Promise for Melanoma Treatment
WEDNESDAY, June 16 (HealthDay News) -- A novel approach using targeted therapy against the BRAF/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in combination with immunotherapy holds promise in the treatment of melanoma, according to a preclinical study published online June 15 in Cancer Research.
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Vitamin B6, Methionine Linked to Lower Lung Cancer Risk
TUESDAY, June 15 (HealthDay News) -- Vitamin B6 and methionine levels are associated with lower risk of lung cancer, and factors associated with the decision to not undergo surgery for newly diagnosed lung cancer include black race and negative perceptions of doctor-patient communication and prognosis, according to two studies published in the June 16 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract - Johansson
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Many Doctors May Overscreen With Annual Pap and HPV Tests
TUESDAY, June 15 (HealthDay News) -- Despite cervical cancer screening recommendations that low-risk women be screened every three years after age 30, most primary care providers report that they would advise more frequent testing, and primary care providers are less likely to recommend extending screening intervals to three years with a human papillomavirus (HPV) test used with a Pap test than with the Pap test alone, according to research published in the June 14 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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HDL Cholesterol Inversely Associated With Cancer Risk
TUESDAY, June 15 (HealthDay News) -- Levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and incident cancer risk are significantly inversely associated, and this relationship is independent of factors such as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), age, and smoking, according to research published in the June 22 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Nationally, Unilateral Mastectomy Rate Has Declined
TUESDAY, June 15 (HealthDay News) -- Although several single-institution studies have reported an increase in mastectomy rates in the past decade, unilateral mastectomy rates appear to have decreased from 2000 to 2006, according to a population-based analysis published online June 14 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Higher BMI Linked to More Breast Cancer Recurrences
TUESDAY, June 15 (HealthDay News) -- Overweight and obese breast cancer patients are more likely to suffer recurrences than their thinner peers, who may benefit more from anastrozole, according to research published online June 14 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Costs Thwart Continued Care for Many Cancer Patients
MONDAY, June 14 (HealthDay News) -- Many cancer survivors delay or forgo medical care due to cost, and cancer survivors under 65 are more likely to put off or forgo care than those without a history of cancer, according to research published online June 14 in Cancer.
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Modifiable Factors Tied to Mortality Hike in Rectal Cancer
MONDAY, June 14 (HealthDay News) -- Disparities in cancer stage and treatment account for most of the excess mortality in rectal cancer patients who are uninsured or on Medicaid, compared with privately insured patients, according to research published online June 14 in Cancer.
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ARBs Linked to Modestly Higher Risk of Cancer Diagnosis
MONDAY, June 14 (HealthDay News) -- Angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) appear to be associated with a modest increase in risk of a new cancer diagnosis, according to research published online June 14 in The Lancet Oncology.
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Enhancing Red Blood Cells in Prostatectomy Judged Safe
MONDAY, June 14 (HealthDay News) -- The use of erythropoietin stimulating proteins (ESPs) in men with normal hemoglobin levels undergoing open radical retropubic prostatectomy is not associated with an increase in cardiovascular or thromboembolic complications, according to a study in the June issue of Urology.
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Node Removal Count Impacts Testicular Cancer Recurrence
FRIDAY, June 11 (HealthDay News) -- The number of retroperitoneal lymph nodes removed and analyzed in post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC-RPLND) appears to be a significant predictor of testicular cancer recurrence, according to research published in the June issue of Urology.
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Metformin in Diabetes Linked to Lower Breast Cancer Risk
FRIDAY, June 11 (HealthDay News) -- In women with type 2 diabetes, long-term metformin use is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer, according to research published in the June issue of Diabetes Care.
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Music Decreases Pain, Anxiety During Bone Marrow Biopsy
FRIDAY, June 11 (HealthDay News) -- Listening to music during bone marrow biopsy and aspiration can reduce both anxiety and pain intensity during the procedure, according to research published in the June issue of the AORN Journal.
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Stage IV Prostate Cancer Incidence Down, Survival Up
FRIDAY, June 11 (HealthDay News) -- In recent decades, stage IV prostate cancer incidence has significantly declined and survival has improved, but younger men represent an increasing proportion of those diagnosed, according to research published in the June issue of Urology.
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Organ Sparing Surgery for Bladder Cancer Feasible
THURSDAY, June 10 (HealthDay News) -- Gynecologic organ sparing procedures for the surgical treatment of bladder cancer appear to be feasible, with acceptable oncologic outcomes and voiding function, according to research published in the June issue of Urology.
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In Utero Exposure to Chemicals May Cause Breast Cancer
WEDNESDAY, June 9 (HealthDay News) -- Prenatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in the environment can cause overexpression of a protein linked to the development of breast cancer in adulthood, according to a mouse study published online May 15 in Hormones & Cancer.
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Hand Hygiene Practices Low Among Health Care Providers
WEDNESDAY, June 9 (HealthDay News) -- Nurses and other health care providers are often noncompliant with hand hygiene guidelines before and after procedures, though compliance is higher with high-risk procedures and when health care providers are exposed to blood, according to a study in the May issue of Applied Nursing Research.
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Stress Reduction Aids Survival in Recurrent Breast Cancer
TUESDAY, June 8 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with recurrent breast cancer who had psychological intervention for stress reduction during their initial disease deal better with the stress of disease recurrence and even improve their odds for survival over the long term, according to a study published online June 8 in Clinical Cancer Research.
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Fatal Medication Errors Rise in July at Teaching Hospitals
TUESDAY, June 8 (HealthDay News) -- In July there is a significant increase in fatal medication errors at medical institutions, and this spike is at least partly due to the arrival of new medical residents, according to a study published online May 29 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
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Anesthesia During Cancer Surgery May Impact Outcomes
MONDAY, June 7 (HealthDay News) -- The use of anesthesia during cancer surgery may impact long-term outcomes and risk of cancer recurrence, according to two articles published in the June issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia.
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Novel Breast Cancer Vaccine Successfully Tested in Mice
THURSDAY, June 3 (HealthDay News) -- Employing an antigen that is present in healthy women only during lactation, but is also found in most breast cancers, researchers have successfully tested a first-of-its-kind breast cancer vaccine in mice, according to a study published online May 30 in Nature Medicine.
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Many Men Disagree With No-PSA-at-75 Recommendation
THURSDAY, June 3 (HealthDay News) -- A U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation to discontinue prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening at age 75 is not supported by many men, and men ages 75 and older show higher-risk disease and poorer survival, according to research published in the May issue of Urology.
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Rural Residents Less Likely to Use Sunscreen
THURSDAY, June 3 (HealthDay News) -- Rural residents are less likely than urban residents to use sunscreen, but this may be explained by confounding factors such as differences in age and income, according to a study in the June issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
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Sequential Treatment Linked to Improved Cancer Survival
WEDNESDAY, June 2 (HealthDay News) -- Doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by docetaxel (sequential ACT) shows some survival benefit compared to doxorubicin-docetaxel or concurrent ACT in women with operable early breast cancer, according to research published in the June 3 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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U.S. Cigarette Brands May Contain Higher Carcinogen Levels
WEDNESDAY, June 2 (HealthDay News) -- Smokers of certain U.S. cigarette brands take in higher levels of cancer-causing tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) than smokers of some foreign cigarette brands tested in a study published online May 25 in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention.
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Cancer Risk Linked to SNPs Not Affected by Lifestyle Factors
WEDNESDAY, June 2 (HealthDay News) -- The risk of breast cancer associated with a dozen low-penetrance genetic susceptibility polymorphisms isn't affected by a number of established environmental risk factors, according to research published online June 2 in The Lancet.
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Non-Dairy Calcium May Up Risk of Prostate Cancer
TUESDAY, June 1 (HealthDay News) -- Calcium intake, even from non-dairy sources and at relatively low levels, may put Chinese men, particularly those with a low body mass index, at increased risk of prostate cancer, according to research published online June 1 in Cancer Research.
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