Articles

Brachytherapy after lumpectomy is associated with greater morbidity and need for mastectomy compared with whole-breast radiation, according to a large retrospective study of Medicare claims for older women with early invasive breast cancer (JAMA. 2012;307:1827-1837). Five years after treatment, the rate of mastectomy was twice as high in women treated with brachytherapy versus whole-breast radiation. Both short- and long-term complications were significantly greater in women treated with brachytherapy in this review. Read More ›

In catching up with breast cancer and several hematologic malignancies, non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has made recent advances in targeting genomic mutations that will provide us with the ability to offer more targeted treatment options. Read More ›

Although an uncommon cancer, sarcoma, which can arise in various connective tissues and therefore has many subtypes, is a frightening disease for both the young and old. For example, some types of bone cancer occur primarily in children, while others affect mostly adults. As we recognize Sarcoma Awareness Week this month, let’s delve into some statistics surrounding this multifaceted cancer.

Primary bone cancer is rare and accounts for less than 0.2% of all cancers.

Lower radioiodine doses given with recombinant human thyrotropin (thyrotropin alfa) was as effective as high-dose radioiodine, and the low-dose treatment was associated with fewer side effects. Use of thyrotropin alfa along with low-dose radiation allows patients to avoid fatigue, lethargy, and weight gain associated with thyroid hormone withdrawal. These results suggest that thyroid cancer treatment can be transformed into a safer, shorter session, according to researchers.

Younger patients were more likely than older patients to get guideline- recommended treatment for non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); conversely, the older the patient, the less likely treatment was provided, according to a large study of veterans that was reported in the May 1 edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Advancing age was the strongest negative predictor of receiving guideline-recommended treatment, regard less of cancer stage and comorbidity.

According to a presentation at the recent European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) meeting in Barcelona, Spain, oropharyngeal cancers in patients who are positive for the human papilloma virus (HPV) and who never smoked or were light smokers may be treated effectively with radiotherapy alone, potentially sparing these selected patients from additional chemotherapy and its toxicity.

Olaparib maintenance therapy extended progression-free survival (PFS) in women with an aggressive form of platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer with a previous response to platinum-based chemotherapy. Women receiving olaparib lived a mean of 4 months longer and also had a longer time to disease progression than those who had no maintenance therapy. These were the conclusions of a phase 2 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on April 12, 2012.

Alarge, population-based study found that a significant proportion of female cancer survivors had poor health behaviors compared with women who have not had cancer (Rausch SM, et al. Am J Clin Oncol. 2012;35:22-31).

Failure of remission-induction therapy in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), although rare, can lead to highly adverse outcomes, but outcomes differ according to type of ALL: B-cell or T-cell, as well as other characteristics (Schrapps M, et al. N Engl J Med. 2012;366:1371-1381).

Oral nutritional interventions do increase nutritional intake and result in weight gain in some malnourished patients with cancer as well as improve some aspects of quality of life (QOL), but do not seem to increase survival, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature (Baldwin C, et al. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2012;104:371-385).