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An analysis recently published in JAMA found that clinical trials are not producing the high-quality evidence needed to guide medical decision making. According to the largest comprehensive study of ClinicalTrials.gov, the majority of clinical trials is small, and there are significant differences in methodical approaches.

A new study shows that nearly half of patients see value in taking an active role in their care, even when they are dealing with a debilitating illness.

Navigating Cancer surveyed 295 cancer patients. The majority, 72%, was drawn to using personalized tools and resources to manage their care. More specifically, 77% was interested in reading cancer education materials from expert sources. Having online access to their medical records was a common interest of 74% of those surveyed.

European healthcare professionals perceive drug-related morbidity to affect 50% of all patients, according to 2 new studies conducted at the Nordic School of Public Health NHV.

In the studies, drug-related morbidity included adverse drug reactions, drug dependence, intoxication by overdose, inadequate effect of medicines, and untreated indications. Two panels of experienced physicians and pharmacists estimated the following:

According to a study published in Cancer Research, overweight or obese postmenopausal women who lost at least 5% of their body weight achieved a noticeable reduction in markers of inflammation.

“Both obesity and inflammation have been shown to be related to several types of cancer, and this study shows that if you reduce weight, you can reduce inflammation as well,” said Anne McTiernan, MD, PhD, director of the Prevention Center at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington.

A new study finds that 40% of the discrepancy in colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and nearly 20% difference in CRC mortality between blacks and whites is a result of screening inconsistencies between the two races. According to the study, an additional 35% of the black-white disparity in CRC mortality rates is attributed to differences in stage-specific survival, which likely reflects differences in treatment. The study, appearing online in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, determines that equal access to care could reduce the racial disparities in CRC rates.

It is estimated that this year alone, approximately 21,000 individuals in the United States will be diagnosed with multiple myeloma (MM), and more than 10,000 deaths will be attributed to the disease.¹ Response rates and survival have improved considerably over the past several decades, due in large part to the use of high-dose chemotherapy, stem cell transplantation, and the development and approval of the targeted agents thalidomide, lenalidomide, and bortezomib.² Although these advances have resulted in prolonged remissions and better quality of life, virtually all Read More ›

Introduction

Introduction

According to a study published in the May issue of American Journal of Roentgenology, mammography remains beneficial for women in their 40s. Researchers from University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine determined that women between ages 40 and 49 who underwent routine screening mammography were diagnosed at earlier stages with smaller tumors than symptomatic women needing diagnostic workup.