-
-
Question: What rights to their research-related results do patients have?
-
The furor surrounding the derivation and collection of embryonic stem cells has eclipsed the many other ethical, legal, and social issues that should be examined before these therapies move from the laboratory to human clinical application, say researchers working at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
-
A debate that has become more heated in the 21st century is whether all embryonic research should be subject to human subject research protection and IRB review.
-
-
-
Merkel cell carcinoma is a tumor of the skin that is well known for its metastatic potential. Because of its scarcity, no trials have been reported. Poulsen and colleagues from Australia conducted a unique multi-institutional Phase II prospective trial of concomitant chemoradiation for patients with high-risk disease and concluded that their regimen resulted in disease control and survival rates that are better than those reported in the literature.
-
Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, and, for those with advanced disease, treatment responses have been dismal. The current report of a trial of gemcitabine and oxaliplatin offers some hope. Using 2 different schedules of these agents, this study found an approximate 20% objective response rate with stable disease occurring in an additional 50%.
-
Patients with elevated bilirubin treated with irinotecan have an increased risk of toxicity, and a dose reduction is recommended. Patients with elevated AST, creatinine or prior pelvic radiation do not appear to have increased sensitivity to irinotecan, but the data are not adequate to support a specific dosing recommendation.
-
