Patients may not understand the information medical care providers give them for a number of reasons, but significant among them is poor healthcare literacy, which is the ability to understand health information and to use that information to make good decisions about health and medical care. Unfortunately, about 33% of the adult population in the United States has limited healthcare literacy. Yet, the need for this proficiency is greater than ever because medical care has become progressively more complex. Let us take a look at healthcare literacy facts and figures:
The development of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with cancer has a significant impact in terms of morbidity and mortality and healthcare costs, according to a “real-world analysis” reported at the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress. Read More ›
An investigational alpha-pharmaceutical not only prevented skeletal-related events (SREs) in patients with prostate cancer with bone metastases in a phase 3 study presented at the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress, but it also improved overall survival. Read More ›
In patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with ALK gene rearrangements, treatment with crizotinib provided clinically meaningful antitumor activity, producing responses in 51% of patients, in a multicenter phase 2 study reported at the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress. Rearrangements in ALK are seen in up to 5% of patients, and crizotinib—a first-in-class, oral, potent, and selective small molecular entity—competitively inhibits ALK. Read More ›
After launching the Survivors Teaching Students program of the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance (OCNA) in 2008, and this year organizing the Ovarian Cancer Advocacy Alliance (OCAA) of San Diego, I have focused on 3 aspects of advocacy: 1) Effect change in the way medical doctors approach diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer by educating the medical community, patient organizations, and the community at large to achieve early diagnosis and improved treatment options; 2) Advance ovarian cancer research toward early diagnosis and improved quality of care; and 3) Address legislative issues Read More ›
Older cancer patients are significantly underrepresented in clinical trials, and it may be time to rethink eligibility for oncology clinical trials, according to Martine Extermann, MD, PhD, professor of oncology at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Read More ›
Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a group of closely related hematologic malignancies that arise from abnormal development and function of the body’s bone marrow cells. Primary myelofibrosis (PMF), polycythemia vera (PV), and essential thrombocythemia (ET) comprise the Philadel phia chromosome (Ph)-negative MPNs.1 Myelofibrosis (MF) can arise on its own, which is called PMF, or it can result from the progression of other MPNs, such as postpolycythemia vera MF (PPVMF) and postessential throm bocythemia MF (PET-MF).1 Read More ›
To sign up for our newsletter or print publications, please enter your contact information below.
