Articles

After the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, Chicago became one of the fastest growing cities in the world. But in this time of prosperity and growth, the prognosis for children born in the city was grim. A child had only a 50% chance of surviving to the age of 5 years, and those who survived were likely to be exposed to a host of diseases. In 1882, Julia Foster Porter, a young widow who also lost a child to disease, took bold steps to transform the future of children’s health in Chicago. Read More ›

CHICAGO—The population of cancer survivors is growing rapidly. More than 12 million Americans are alive after a cancer diagnosis, with most living at least 5 years, and 16% living 20 years after their initial diagnosis.

This growing population of cancer survivors is at risk for many comorbid health conditions, especially as they age. A study of 10,397 childhood cancer survivors found this group to be 8 times more likely to have a severe or life-threatening condition than their siblings (Oeffinger K, et al. N Engl J Med. 2006;355:1572-1582).

For the past 15 years, the Josh and Friends Project has been an enduring source of comfort to children aged between 2 and 9 years, who face anxieties related to medical procedures, surgery, chemotherapy, or other treatments arising from illness or injury. Founded by Knoxville, Tennessee, veterinarian Randy Lange, the Josh and Friends Project captures the inimitable qualities of the human–animal bond to influence positively a child’s psychologic and physiologic outlook in anticipation of as well as throughout medical treatment and recovery. Read More ›

Although breastfeeding may be impaired in some survivors of childhood cancers as a result of treatments, such women who are able to successfully breastfeed should do so, because of the protective effects it can impart,¹ according to research led by Susan W. Ogg, RN, MSN, a re search nurse in the Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee. “Some nurses work with women and assess their lactation potential throughout pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum,” Ogg said. Read More ›

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris; Seattle Genetics) to treat Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL).

The FDA has approved crizotinib (Xalkori; Pfizer) to treat patients with locally advanced or metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who express the abnormal anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene. Crizotinib has been approved with a companion diagnostic test that will help determine if a patient has the abnormal ALK gene, Vysis ALK Break Apart FISH Probe Kit (Abbott Molecular).

Crizotinib blocks protein kinases, including the protein produced by abnormal ALK. This oral agent is designed to be taken twice daily as a single-agent treatment.

The FDA has issued 510(k) clearance to market HE4 Test in an algorithm (ROMA [HE4 EIA + ARCHITECT CA 125 II]; Fujirebio Diagnostics), which aids in assessing whether a premenopausal or postmenopausal woman who presents with an ovarian adnexal mass is at high or low likelihood of finding malignancy on surgery.

This Risk of Ovarian Malignancy Algorithm test uses the results from CA 125 and HE4 blood tests to identify patients presenting with adnexal mass as high or low likelihood for finding malignancy on surgery.

Each year, a significant number of adolescents and young adults (AYAs), aged 15 to 39 years, are faced with a cancer diagnosis. And yet, there has been a lack in progress when it comes to treating this age-group. To better understand the facts and figures associated with these patients, let’s take a closer look at AYA oncology by the numbers. Over the past 30 years, cancer incidence in young adults has increased more than any other age-group…

CHICAGO—Several studies addressed key questions in the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). One evaluated a shorter, more intense rituximab-based regimen, and another evaluated the benefit of autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) in high-risk patients. The 21-day regimen of rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (R-CHOP) is still the standard of care for this paient population.

CHICAGO—The cancer drug pipeline is bursting with promising new therapies for a variety of tumors. Of the many investigational drugs presented, this article highlights some of the most promising agents now in phase 2 or 3 clinical trials.

Cabozantinib

This oral inhibitor of MET kinase and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor produced high rates of disease control in several solid tumor types, and fully or partially eliminated bone metastases in a randomized phase 2 study.