Articles
The multitargeted kinase inhibitor regorafenib improved overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) and achieved superior disease control in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) who progressed on all standard therapy. These results of the international, phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter CORRECT trial were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Gastrointestinal Symposium in San Francisco, California.
Patients with gastric or gastroesophageal cancer commonly experience long-term complications from treatment that compromise their quality of life (QOL), according to self-reported answers to an Internet-based survey questionnaire. Difficulty swallowing appears to be universal, and other problems range from dry mouth and taste changes to cardiovascular disease, according to a study presented at the 2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology Gastrointestinal Symposium held in San Francisco, California.
Outpatient management of febrile neutropenia is appropriate for carefully selected low-risk patients, according to Ashley Morris Engemann, PharmD, Duke University Medical Center, who spoke at the 2012 Pharmacy Program held in Hollywood, Florida, during the 17th Annual Conference of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). Engemann noted that treating patients at home is clearly the patient’s preference and is cost saving. Risk assessment is the first step, as outpatient management is not appropriate for high-risk patients but can be considered in low-risk patients.
Everywhere you turn, you spot someone you know. It’s like homecoming or even a class reunion—you see people you know. The only issue is, after not seeing them for at least a year, how much older everybody looks now. I do admit that oncology pharmacy has come a long way since the early days, and that for as many people as I knew at the meeting, there were many, many more younger folks that I didn’t know. With HOPA membership now over 1500 and HOPA meeting attendance in the high hundreds, not knowing a majority of the attendees is understandable.
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center–Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital (OSUCCC–James), located in Columbus, Ohio, is 1 of only 41 centers in the United States designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as a Comprehensive Cancer Center. The OSUCCC– James program is part of Ohio State University and is affiliated with the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, one of the largest medical centers in the country. Established in 1973, the OSUCCC–James is the Mid-west’s first and Ohio’s only freestanding cancer hospital.
Pharmacists and their support staff make the world go round, at least my world outside of the hospital. They are the ones who tell me which pills and injections to take, and when. They put the labels on the orangish pill bottles with the white safety caps that serve as a back-up to their written and spoken instructions. In short, I consider them and the prescriptions they fill as a kind of lifeline between my inpatient and outpatient lives.
According to 2 large breast cancer trials, CYP2D6 genotyping was not predictive of the effectiveness of tamoxifen in postmenopausal women. Thus, the results of these studies are not generalizable to premenopausal women. CYP2D6 genotyping has been a focus of research interest, but studies have been inconclusive as to the value of testing.
The term “chemo brain” was coined to describe mild cognitive problems in cancer patients attributed to chemotherapy. Although minor chemotherapy-induced memory and cognitive impairments have been described previously, a case-cohort study suggests that these effects can persist more than 20 years posttherapy. The authors state that chemo brain effects are subtle compared with women who never had chemotherapy, but it’s possible that these effects place people at greater risk for cognitive decline associated with aging.