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Since 1999, the out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs have declined for many Americans. However, prescription costs continue to be a challenge for lower income families and those individuals with public insurance, according to a recent RAND Corporation study published in the February edition of the journal Health Affairs.

For the first time, the effect of exemestane on women’s bone health has been studied, and researchers found that, on 3 major outcome measures, age-related bone loss in postmenopausal women taking exemestane for 2 years worsened.

“The study is important because of the potential for wide-spread use of this medication by women at increased risk of developing breast cancer,” said Dr Lianne Tile, Medical Director of the Osteoporosis Clinic and Staff General Internist at University Health Network, and one of the authors of the study.

The use of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), an injectable, clot-preventing drug for patients with advanced cancer, increased steadily between 2000 and 2007, according to a new study published in The Oncologist. However, use of LMWH is low compared with another anticoagulant, warfarin, despite previous research demonstrating LMWH as the preferred treatment for patients with cancer suffering blood clots.

Although oxaliplatin has extended the survival time of patients with colorectal cancer, the drug can also mean debilitating neurological side effects for those receiving treatments. These side effects often begin with a “pins and needles” sensation in the fingers and toes. Over time, a patient’s ability to walk or even dress independently is eventually compromised.

When battling non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), combination drug therapy may be required, according to the study, “STAT3 is Activated by JAK2 Independent of Key Oncogenic Driver Mutation in Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma.” The research, by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and Van Andel Research Institute (VARI), was published online February 2, 2012, by the Public Library of Science ONE.

Breast cancer cell proliferation did not decline with the use of soy isoflavone supplements in a randomized clinical trial, according to a study published in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

These study results are compatible with the findings of previous studies designed to test dietary supplements and their cancer prevention benefits, said lead researcher Seema A. Khan, MD, professor of surgery at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University.

Five different studies have successfully established the effectiveness of a blood test used for discovering and evaluating circulating tumor cells (CTCs), according to scientists from The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Health, and other collaborating cancer physicians. The findings, published February 3, 2012, in the journal Physical Biology, show the highly sensitive blood analysis provides information that may soon be compared to the information gleaned from some types of surgical biopsies.

Research shows medication prescribing errors can be lowered by as much as 66% when electronic prescribing technology is used in hospitals.

The key to enhancing treatment for particular types of aggressive breast cancer may be the body’s control mechanisms for delivering zinc to cells.

Zinc plays a vital part in human health. However, too much or too little zinc can lead to cell death. In fact, mounting evidence associates zinc with a number of diseases, including cancer.

Previously, between 15% and 30% of patients treated with BRAF inhibitors developed cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, which had to be removed surgically. Now, scientists have determined how to prevent these new cancers from occurring when patients with malignant melanoma are treated with BRAF inhibitors.

The study by researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) was published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine.