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High-risk, early breast cancer patients treated on a dose-intense chemotherapy protocol were randomized to receive thrice weekly epoetin alfa or not. As compared with controls, hemoglobin levels were maintained and fewer red cell transfusions were required. Furthermore, there did not appear to be any detriment in progression-free or overall survival. However, venous thrombotic events occurred more frequently. The use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents in the adjuvant setting remains unsettled.
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A new technique of evaluating liquid-based Pap smears has been developed to identify confirmed disease-specific mutations in patients with uterine and ovarian cancers. The new technique identified most uterine and some ovarian cancers and importantly, produced no false positive screens among normal, noncancer controls.
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n a small, multicenter, randomized Phase 2 trial, the all-oral combination of cyclophosphamide and capecitabine demonstrated a trend toward an increasing response rate when compared to capecitabine alone in the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer. The combination was well tolerated.
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In this randomized, controlled trial, three low doses of fluoride demonstrated no significant positive effect on bone mineral density or markers of bone turnover over placebo.
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Evidence-based updates in primary care medicine By Louis Kuritzky, MD
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Medications for Risk Reduction of Breast Cancer in Women
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Compared to cancer patients who were never married, divorced, widowed, or separated, married patients are significantly more likely to present at an earlier stage, undergo therapy with definitive or curative intent, and live longer among each of the 10 most common cancers killers in the United States.
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In this sample of 102 consecutive Dutch patients with heavy menstrual bleeding, the overall prevalence of an underlying bleeding disorder was 29%, with the most common being disorders of platelet function.
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In a recent case-control study involving more than 1000 patients whose fetus's had neural tube defects, analysis of their dietary intake showed a protective effect of folic acid in diabetics and in the overall population, but not in obese patients.
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Current strategies to prevent chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting frequently include a 3-day course of aprepitant. In a multicenter trial from Japan, administration of a single dose of the aprepitant prodrug fosaprepitant, when used in combination with granisetron and dexamethasone, was shown to provide significant improvement when compared to placebo plus granisetron/dexamethasone. Thus, single-dose fosaprepitant may offer a more convenient and less complicated approach in the regimen to prevent nausea and vomiting.
