Articles
SAN FRANCISCO—For patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), advances in molecular profiling have led to an ex - plosion in novel agents specific for targets above and beyond the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Joseph Tabernero, MD, director of clinical research at Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology in Barcelona, Spain, previewed the future of treatment for CRC at the 2011 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.
ORLANDO—Novel dosing regimens of rasburicase can prevent tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) at costs that are much lower than conventional dosing, according to studies presented at the 2010 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting & Exposition.
CHICAGO—At the ASCO session “Moving the Bar in Upper GI Malignancies,” 2 speakers examined whether recent trials of targeted agents are clinically meaningful or just statistically positive, and whether value is being gained for the enormous amount of money being spent in treating noncolo rectal gastrointestinal (GI) cancer.
Eileen Mary O’Reilly, MD, of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, weighed in by examining the bottom line of the major trials.
SAN DIEGO—Use of prandial insulin (ie, insulin given at mealtimes) appears to be linked to cancer risk, according to a substudy of the large randomized Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial presented at the 71st Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association. Other factors associated with development of cancer in this substudy included increasing body mass index (BMI), older age, and smoking.
For breast cancer patients aged 66 years and older, nurses should consider comorbidities when discussing prognosis, according to an analysis of Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results–Medicare data.
Increased awareness, earlier detection through screening, and advances in treatment have led to a decline in breast cancer death rates in the United States since 1990. Sadly, breast cancer continues to claim more women’s lives than any other cancer, besides lung cancer. For more statistical data on this prevalent disease, let’s take a look at breast cancer by the numbers.
About 1 in 8 (12%) women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.
The management of complex oncology drugs in pharmacy and in medical benefits presents unique challenges for all parties who seek cost-effective, positive clinical outcomes for patients with cancer. New therapies are offering the exciting prospect of improved outcomes, prolonged life, and, in some cases, a cure for specific diseases. Targeted oncolytics and pharmacogenomics, which carry the promise of improved likelihood of successful treatment, have become welcome additions to the current standards of care.