Patients diagnosed with high-grade non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer are not receiving guideline-recommended care, according to an analysis of data from the SEER-Medicare Linked Database.
The combination of everolimus and trastuzumab shows promise against metastatic breast cancer in pretreated, HER2-positive patients with trastuzumab resistance, according to results of a phase 1/2 study. This targeted, nonchemotherapy regimen provided partial responses in 7 of 47 patients and persistent stable disease (lasting 6 months or longer) in 9 of 47 patients. The regimen produced a clinical benefit rate of 34%, and median progression-free survival was 4.1 month.
First-line treatment with erlotinib prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) and increased the response rate compared with treatment with chemotherapy in patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activating mutations, according to an interim analysis of this phase 3 randomized European Tarceva vs Chemotherapy (EURTAC) trial presented at the 14thWorld Conference on Lung Cancer.
This past Friday, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved 2 drugs that could help our patients: fentanyl nasal spray (Lazanda, Archimedes Pharma) and rivaroxaban (Xarelto, Janssen Pharmaceuticals).
Use of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for the detection of lung cancer reduced the rate of death over use of the more traditional chest radiography (CXR), according to the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST). The NSLT found that, with a rate of adherence to screening was more than 90%, LDCT exhibited a positive screening rate of 24.2%, whereas CXR exhibited 6.9%. Both techniques produced a high rate of false positives.
After 2 days of hearings, the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) confirmed the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) earlier decision to remove bevacizumab’s (Avastin, Genentech) indication in combination with paclitaxel chemotherapy for previously untreated (first-line) HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer.
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At the University of Arkansas Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy, a participatory model of care has improved patient outcomes and may lower the cost of treatment. This patient-partnered model allows patients to participate in treatment decisions, including location of care (in- or outpatient, when applicable), and to self-administer intravenous and subcutaneous medications. In addition, caregivers are significantly involved, and an emphasis is placed on outpatient therapy, patient education, and patient networking. Read More ›
On April 28, 2011, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved abiraterone acetate (Zytiga, Johnson & Johnson) for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) for patients who have failed docetaxel therapy. Prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality and morbidity in the United States.1,2 Each year approximately 215,000 men are diagnosed and 32,000 men die of the disease. Read More ›
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