Articles

The management of relapsed/ refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a vexing problem and requires extensive, aggressive supportive care throughout the course of therapy, explained Joseph C. Alvarnas, MD, City of Hope Comp­rehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, Cali­fornia, in a presentation at the National Com­prehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) 7th Annual Congress on Hematologic Malignancies. Read More ›

Sildenafil is often used by men treated with radiation or radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer to achieve an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse, and it is effective to varying degrees when used on an as-needed basis. Read More ›

Doxepin, a tricyclic antidepressant approved for the treatment of depression and anxiety, as well as moderate pruritus, significantly improved oral mucositis pain in patients treated with radiation therapy for head and neck cancer in a phase 3 trial. Read More ›

Radiation therapy extends life in older women with early breast cancer, according to 2 different studies presented at the ASTRO 54th Annual Meeting. Read More ›

Many patients with incurable lung cancer mistakenly believe that radiation therapy administered for palliative treatment of pain and other cancer symptoms represents a potential cure, according to a study presented at the ASTRO 54th Annual Meeting. Read More ›

Anticoagulation prophylaxis is effective in preventing both symptomatic and asymptom­atic catheter-related deep vein thrombosis in ambulatory cancer patients with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors, French investigators reported at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2012 Congress, held in Vienna, Austria. Read More ›

Carfilzomib (Kyprolis, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, South San Francisco, CA) is a proteasome inhibitor that recently received accelerated FDA approval as single-agent treatment for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM),¹ as well as designation as a “Preferred Regimen” for salvage therapy according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines.² Carfilzomib differs structurally and mechanistically from bortezomib; it functions by irreversibly inhibiting chymotrypsin-like activity of the constitutive proteasome and the immunoproteasome and offers a novel treatment option for patients with advanced MM.³

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The recent FDA approval of single-agent carfilzomib (Kyprolis) adds to the armamentarium of agents for the treatment of relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. Carfilzomib was approved based on an open-label, single-arm study of single-agent carfilzomib after the failure of at least 2 previous therapies. Within the inclusion criteria, the subjects were required to have failed bortezomib. Although bortezomib and carfilz­omib are both proteasome inhibitors, carfilzomib selectively and irreversibly binds to its target, which results in sustained proteasome inhibition that is absent of off-target effects relative to bortezomib.^1,2 Read More ›

Immediate or near-term risk of death from the patient’s condition should be taken into account when weighing the benefits of an imaging exam against a potential future risk of radiation-induced cancer from the imaging. Read More ›

A younger woman’s risk of an aggressive form of breast cancer may be reduced by up to 60% if she waits at least 15 years following her first menstrual period to give birth to her first child. Read More ›