Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Hematology & Oncology for March 2017. 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.
Vertical Integration Insurance Products of Higher Quality
FRIDAY, March 31, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Insurance products offered by hospitals and health systems, known as vertical integration, are generally of higher quality than other contracts, according to a study published in the March issue of Health Affairs.
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90 Percent of U.S. Physicians Satisfied With Career Choice
FRIDAY, March 31, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Nine out of 10 American doctors are happy with their choice of profession, even though they have some challenges, according to an American Medical Association (AMA) survey of 1,200 doctors, residents, and medical students, conducted in February.
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Thyroid Cancer Incidence, Mortality Up in U.S. Since 1974
FRIDAY, March 31, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- The overall incidence of thyroid cancer increased by 3.6 percent annually from 1974 to 2013, according to a study published online March 31 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Cediranib Tx in Relapsed Ovarian CA Doesn't Lower Quality of Life
FRIDAY, March 31, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Maintenance therapy with cediranib for women with relapsed ovarian cancer is not detrimental to quality of life (QOL), according to a study published online March 24 in Cancer.
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Overall Risk of VTE Recurrence Similar for iSVT, Proximal DVT
FRIDAY, March 31, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with isolated superficial vein thrombosis (iSVT) have a similar overall risk of recurrence as those with proximal deep vein thrombosis (DVT), according to a study published online March 20 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
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Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy Rates Up Nationwide
THURSDAY, March 30, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- For women with early-stage unilateral breast cancer treated with surgery, there was an increase in the proportion undergoing contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) from 2004 to 2012, with considerable variation across states, according to a study published online March 29 in JAMA Surgery.
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FDA Approves Zejula for Certain Female Cancers
TUESDAY, March 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Zejula (niraparib) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat adult women with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancers whose tumors have shrunk in response to platinum-based chemotherapy.
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Lap, Abdominal Hysterectomy Equal for Early Endometrial CA
TUESDAY, March 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- For women with stage I endometrial cancer, total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) is equivalent to total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) for disease-free survival at 4.5 years, according to a study published in the March 28 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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TV Ads for ACA Enrollment Linked to Decline in Uninsured Rates
TUESDAY, March 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- The volume of insurance advertisements during the first Affordable Care Act enrollment period correlated with change in uninsurance rates, with a higher volume of television advertisements linked to declines in uninsurance, according to a study published online March 15 in Health Affairs.
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ACP Issues Challenge to Cut Task Burden and Put Patients First
TUESDAY, March 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- In a position paper published online March 28 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, recommendations are presented to address the impact of administrative tasks and reduce the administrative burden on clinicians.
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BRCA Mutation Testing Shifts to Unaffected Women
TUESDAY, March 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- BRCA testing has shifted from being primarily used in cancer patients to being used in unaffected women, according to a study published online March 22 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
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Psoriasis May Up Risk of Melanoma, Hematologic Cancer
TUESDAY, March 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with psoriasis may have a higher risk of melanoma and hematologic cancers than the general population, according to a study published in the April issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
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Cancer Patients Vary in Survival Benefit Needed to Justify Chemo
MONDAY, March 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Among patients participating in a chemotherapy drug trial, there is substantial variation in preferences regarding length of survival benefits that justify undergoing chemotherapy, according to a study published online March 21 in Cancer.
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Paid Malpractice Claims Cut in Half From 1992 to 2014 in U.S.
MONDAY, March 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- From 1992 to 2014 there was a decrease in the rate of malpractice claims paid on behalf of physicians in the United States, but mean compensation amounts increased, according to a study published online March 27 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Smoking Ups Long-Term Risks From Radiotherapy in Breast CA
MONDAY, March 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with breast cancer, the absolute risks associated with modern radiotherapy are higher for smokers than nonsmokers, according to research published online March 20 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Advanced Age Need Not Deter Surgery for Cutaneous Tumors
MONDAY, March 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Surgery for cutaneous tumors under local anesthesia is as well tolerated in elderly patients 90 years and older as it is in patients aged 75 to 80 years old, according to a study published online March 21 in the International Journal of Dermatology.
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Long-Term Thrombolytic Tx No Benefit in Intermediate-Risk PE
MONDAY, March 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Among patients with intermediate- to high-risk pulmonary embolism (PE), thrombolytic treatment with tenecteplase does not affect long-term mortality rates or rates of other complications, according to a study published in the March 28 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Higher Risk of Adverse Outcomes for Births to Young CA Survivors
FRIDAY, March 24, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- The risk of preterm birth and low birth weight is increased for live births for adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors (diagnosed at ages 15 to 39), according to a study published online March 23 in JAMA Oncology.
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Mortality Risk Impacts Colon CA Screening in Dialysis Patients
FRIDAY, March 24, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- For patients on dialysis, colon cancer screening is more likely among those with the lowest risk of mortality, according to a study published online March 23 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
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FDA Approves Bavencio for Merkel Cell Carcinoma
THURSDAY, March 23, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Bavencio (avelumab) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), the agency said Thursday in a news release.
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Mobile App Cuts In-Person Visits After Breast Reconstruction
THURSDAY, March 23, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Follow-up care delivered via a mobile app can reduce in-person visits for ambulatory patients undergoing breast reconstruction, according to a study published online March 22 in JAMA Surgery.
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30-Day Mortality Down During Joint Commission Survey Weeks
THURSDAY, March 23, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Patients admitted to the hospital during The Joint Commission on-site inspections (surveys) have reduced mortality compared to that seen during non-survey weeks, according to research published online March 20 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Global Tobacco Control Treaty Has Reduced Smoking Rates
THURSDAY, March 23, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- After 180 countries agreed to a global tobacco control treaty in 2005, there was a 2.55 percent decrease in smoking worldwide during the next decade, according to a study published online March 21 in The Lancet Public Health.
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Multiple Dosing Mitigates ASA Hyporesponsiveness After CABG
WEDNESDAY, March 22, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) hyporesponsiveness after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery can be overcome by multiple dosing, according to a study published online March 7 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
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Black, Asian Medical Students Less Likely to Be AΩA Members
TUESDAY, March 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Black and Asian medical students are less likely to be members of the Alpha Omega Alpha (AΩA) honor society than white students, according to a study published online March 6 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Radical Prostatectomy Linked to Greater Drop in Sexual Function
TUESDAY, March 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- For men with localized prostate cancer, radical prostatectomy is associated with a greater decrease in sexual domain scores, while different treatment strategies are associated with distinct patterns of adverse effects, according to two studies published in the March 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Risk Reports to Doctor, Patient Up Adjunct Breast MRI Screening
TUESDAY, March 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- For women undergoing screening mammography, direct communication of risk-based recommendations for adjunct breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to women and referring physicians is associated with an increased screening rate, according to a study published online recently in Health Communication.
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Magnesium Wasting Despite Diuretic Choice in Cervical CA Tx
MONDAY, March 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- For women with cervical cancer, administration of cisplatin concomitant with whole pelvic radiation is associated with magnesium wasting, according to a study published online March 9 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
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Post-RFA Mortality Up for ESRD Patients Who Receive Dialysis
MONDAY, March 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), receipt of hemodialysis (HD) is associated with increased mortality after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for hepatocellular carcinoma, according to a study published online March 7 in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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Counseling Visit Helps Patients Decide About Lung CA Screening
MONDAY, March 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- A centralized counseling and shared decision-making visit correlates with improvement in patient knowledge about eligibility criteria, benefits, and harms of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screening, according to a study published in the March issue of CHEST.
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Los Angeles eConsult Program Can Reduce Wait Times
FRIDAY, March 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Implementation of an electronic system for provision of specialty care was rapidly adopted in Los Angeles, and it can reduce wait times to see specialists, according to a study published in the March issue of Health Affairs.
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Patients Have High Confidence in Self-Testing INR
FRIDAY, March 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Most patients have high confidence in self-testing their international normalized ratio (INR), according to a study published online Feb. 23 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
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Video Helps Patients Meet Radiotherapy Educational Needs
FRIDAY, March 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Educational videos augmented by three-dimensional (3D) visualization software are useful for addressing radiotherapy patients' educational needs, according to a study published online Feb. 27 in the Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences.
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Clinical Decision Support System Use Tied to Fewer VTE Events
THURSDAY, March 16, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Use of computerized clinical decision support systems (CCDSSs) among surgical patients is associated with an increase in the rate of appropriate ordering of venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis and a decrease in the risk of VTE events, according to a review published online March 15 in JAMA Surgery.
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Esophageal Cancer Risk Rises Alongside Weight
WEDNESDAY, March 15, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Overweight young adults may have a significantly increased risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA) and gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA) if they become obese later in life, according to a study published online Feb. 14 in the British Journal of Cancer.
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Women Underrepresented Among Grand Rounds Speakers
WEDNESDAY, March 15, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Women seem to be underrepresented among academic grand rounds (GR) speakers, according to a research letter published online March 6 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Significant Cost Savings for Evidence-Based Radiation Tx
WEDNESDAY, March 15, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- More than half of older American women with early breast cancer may get more radiation treatment (RT) than needed, which significantly and unnecessarily increases medical costs, according to a study published online March 14 in the Journal of Oncology Practice.
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Support for Health Law Up to 48 Percent in February
TUESDAY, March 14, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Support for the health law is increasing, with most Americans feeling that Medicaid should continue as it is today, according to a report published by Kaiser Health News.
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Internet CBT Ups Sexual Function in Breast Cancer Survivors
TUESDAY, March 14, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- For breast cancer survivors (BCSs) with sexual dysfunction, an internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention can improve sexual functioning, according to a study published online Feb. 27 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Higher Spending by Physicians Not Tied to Better Outcomes
MONDAY, March 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Medicare patients treated by higher-spending physicians are just as likely to be readmitted or die within 30 days of being admitted to the hospital as patients treated by doctors who order fewer or less-expensive tests and treatments, according to a study published online March 13 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Patients With Thyroid CA Who Choose No Rx Report Isolation
FRIDAY, March 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with thyroid cancer who decide not to intervene experience anxiety, may feel isolated, and are at risk of disengaging from health care, according to a study published online March 9 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
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Warm Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia ID'd After Babesiosis
FRIDAY, March 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (WAHA) develops in some patients after babesiosis, with asplenic patients at increased risk, according to a study published in the March 9 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Aromatherapy Massage Helpful for Female Cancer Patients
FRIDAY, March 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Female cancer patients report positive experiences with aromatherapy massage (ATM), according to a study published online March 2 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
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Lasting Outcomes for Imatinib in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
THURSDAY, March 9, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), treatment with imatinib is associated with an estimated overall survival rate of 83.3 percent at 10 years, according to a study published in the March 9 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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ACA's Medicaid Expansion May Pose Challenges to Timely Care
THURSDAY, March 9, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- People living in states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are less likely to be uninsured or struggling with the strain of unpaid medical bills, but they also seem to have increased difficulty receiving timely care, according to research published in the March 9 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Study Finds No Link Between Cytomegalovirus, Glioblastoma
WEDNESDAY, March 8, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- There's no link between cytomegalovirus (CMV) and glioblastoma or other high-grade gliomas, according to a study published recently in Clinical Cancer Research.
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Soy Linked to Prolonged Survival in Some Breast Cancer Patients
WEDNESDAY, March 8, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Breast cancer survivors who consume more soy may have a lower risk of all-cause mortality over a 10-year period, according to a study published online March 6 in Cancer.
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Cancer Screening Remains Below Healthy People 2020 Targets
TUESDAY, March 7, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- From 2000 to 2015 there were increases in colorectal cancer screening use, but not in breast or cervical cancer screening, according to a report published in the March 3 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Republicans Introduce Affordable Care Act Replacement
TUESDAY, March 7, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- An initial Republican replacement for the Affordable Care Act was formally introduced in the House of Representatives on Monday.
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CDC: Fewer Teens Using Tanning Beds
MONDAY, March 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- The number of U.S. teens who use indoor tanning has dropped by half in recent years, according to a study published online March 3 JAMA Dermatology.
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Most Health Care Providers Can Offer Cost Estimate
MONDAY, March 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Most provider organizations can offer a cost estimate, although few patients request one, according to a report published by Becker's Hospital CFO.
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Cost-Effectiveness Compared for Metastatic Melanoma Treatments
MONDAY, March 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with BRAF wild-type metastatic melanoma, first-line pembrolizumab (PEM) every three weeks followed by second-line ipilumumab (IPI), or first-line nivolumab (NIVO) followed by IPI, are the most cost-effective strategies, according to a study published online Feb. 21 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Blinatumomab Linked to Longer Survival in Adults With ALL
MONDAY, March 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the bispecific monoclonal antibody construct that enables CD3-positive T cells to recognize and eliminate CD19-positive ALL blasts, blinatumomab, is associated with significantly longer survival than chemotherapy, according to a study published in the March 2 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Neurofeedback Aids in Reducing Chemo-Related Nerve Damage
MONDAY, March 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Learning to control brain waves with neurofeedback appears to help cancer survivors ease symptoms of chronic chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), according to a study published online March 3 in Cancer.
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Judgement Bias in Medical Device Recall Decisions
FRIDAY, March 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- The characteristics of the signal in user feedback of adverse events associated with medical devices and the situated context of decision makers correlate with judgement bias in reacting to these adverse events, according to research published online Jan. 29 in Production and Operations Management.
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Speech Pathology Telepractice Beneficial in Head, Neck Cancer
FRIDAY, March 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with head and neck cancer, a multisite speech pathology telepractice service is associated with higher service efficiency and treatment satisfaction compared with standard care, according to a study published online Feb. 22 in Head & Neck.
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Poor Diet in Adolescence May Raise Risk of Early Breast Cancer
FRIDAY, March 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- A diet high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, and red and processed meat during adolescence and early adulthood may raise the risk for early-onset breast cancer, according to a study published in the March issue of Cancer Research.
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Exercise Treatments Best for Reducing Cancer-Related Fatigue
FRIDAY, March 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Exercise and/or behavioral and educational therapy may be more effective than prescription drugs for dealing with cancer-related fatigue, according to a meta-analysis published online March 2 in JAMA Oncology.
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Sun Protection Behaviors Often Poor Among Melanoma Survivors
THURSDAY, March 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- A sizeable proportion of melanoma survivors still report elevated sun exposure, sunburns, and suboptimal ultraviolet radiation protection behaviors, according to research published online March 2 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
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Overall, 8.8 Percent of U.S. Population Uninsured in 2016
THURSDAY, March 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Overall, 8.8 percent of individuals of all ages were uninsured in the first nine months of 2016, which marked a nonsignificant reduction from 2015, according to a Feb. 14 report from the National Center for Health Statistics.
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Pre-Op Phone Consult Doesn't Cut Anxiety Before Mohs Surgery
THURSDAY, March 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Receiving a preoperative educational telephone call does not reduce anxiety or improve satisfaction for patients undergoing same-day office consultation and Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS), according to a study published in the March issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
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Pravastatin Does Not Improve Survival in Small-Cell Lung Cancer
THURSDAY, March 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), addition of pravastatin to standard chemotherapy does not improve survival, according to a study published online Feb. 27 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Gene Therapy Described in a Patient With Sickle Cell Disease
THURSDAY, March 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- In a brief report published in the March 2 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers detail their early success using gene therapy to treat, or even potentially cure, sickle cell disease.
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Colorectal Cancer Rates, Mortality Down in Americans Aged ≥50
WEDNESDAY, March 1, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Colorectal cancer (CRC) rates among those aged 50 and older have fallen 32 percent since 2000, while deaths from the disease fell by 34 percent, according to a report published online March 1 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
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Colorectal Cancer Facts & Figures 2017-2019
FDA Approves Xermelo for Carcinoid Syndrome Diarrhea
WEDNESDAY, March 1, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Xermelo (telotristat ethyl) tablets have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat adults with carcinoid syndrome diarrhea.
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Review Supports Link Between Adiposity, Risk of Some Cancers
WEDNESDAY, March 1, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Additional weight appears to particularly influence the risk of cancers related to the digestive organs or those driven by hormonal abnormalities, according to a review published online Feb. 28 in The BMJ.
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Indoor Tanning Cost U.S. Health Care $343 Million Annually
WEDNESDAY, March 1, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Skin cancers linked to indoor tanning are estimated to have cost the U.S. health care system hundreds of millions of dollars in 2015, according to research published online Feb. 28 in the Journal of Cancer Policy.
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