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The drug dutasteride delays both cancer progression and the start of active treatment for men diagnosed with low-risk, localized prostate cancer, according to results from a 3-year international clinical trial led by Dr Neil Fleshner, Head of the Division of Urology, University Health Network (UHN). The findings are published online in The Lancet.

A national fast track system for cancer patients that was implemented in Denmark reduced the time between a patient’s initial meeting with a healthcare provider and their first treatment by 4 weeks, according to a study presented at the Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium.

The FDA recently announced the approval of Erivedge (vismodegib). This medication is available as a capsule that is taken orally once a day by adults with basal cell carcinoma (BCC) that:

A recent study shows that the administration of a short vaccination regimen with an anti-HER2 dendritic cell vaccine consisting partly of their own cells led to complete tumor destruction in nearly 20% of women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Moreover, more than 85% of women treated appeared to develop a long-lasting immune response following vaccination, which may reduce the risk of a more invasive cancer forming in the future.

Stage III colon cancer patients experience an increased rate of survival when oxaliplatin is combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) during adjuvant treatment, according to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

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.