Articles

The recent drop in melanoma mortality rates among non-Hispanic whites in the US is found among those patients with higher levels of education, according to a new study from the American Cancer Society. These findings show that early detection strategies intended for high-risk, low-educated, non-Hispanic white individuals are needed, study authors say.

In general, melanoma mortality rates among non-Hispanic whites (aged 25 to 64 years) have been declining in men and women since the early 1990s. However, death rates according to socioeconomic status (SES) have been unknown.

The carpal tunnel syndrome side effect from a medication found to reduce women’s risk of death from breast cancer can be managed and does not persist upon completed treatment, according to a study published in The Lancet Oncology.

Early detection is a key to better outcomes for colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States.

According to 2 recent studies, a new investigational colorectal cancer screening test is highly sensitive and more accurate at detecting adenomas and early-stage cancer compared with other noninvasive tests.

The FDA recently approved Voraxaze (glucarpidase) for the treatment of toxic methotrexate levels in the blood due to kidney failure.

Methotrexate levels are quickly lowered by glucarpidase, an enzyme that breaks down the chemotherapy drug to a form that can be eliminated from the body.

Current shortages of injectable cancer medications present an opportunity for the introduction of non–Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved products into the US drug supply. This could result in serious harm to patients.

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 2 additional cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) have been reported with the lymphoma drug Adcetris (brentuximab vedotin).

Due to the serious nature of PML, a new boxed warning highlighting this risk has been added to the drug label.

In addition, a new contraindication warning against use of Adcetris with bleomycin due to increased risk of pulmonary toxicity has also been added to the drug label.

To help meet the distinct healthcare requirements of children and adolescents, America’s biopharmaceutical companies are currently researching 282 medicines, according to a new report recently released by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).

A new study from the University of Reading in England highlights concerns over whether parabens could contribute to breast cancer since they are able to imitate the female hormone estrogen, which is known to promote the growth of breast tumors.

The importance of creating social and physical environments that support healthy behaviors is central to the updated nutrition and physical activity guidelines for cancer prevention from the American Cancer Society (ACS). The report includes updated advice for personal diet and physical activity patterns, but it emphasizes that the community in which those choices are made can either facilitate or impede healthy behaviors.

A Cedars-Sinai study found that chemicals in the skins and seeds of red grapes decreased estrogen levels slightly while increasing testosterone among premenopausal women who drank 8 ounces of red wine nightly for about a month.

The study, published online in the Journal of Women’s Health, challenges the widely held belief among doctors that all alcohol increases estrogen levels, thus nurturing the growth of cancer cells.